Coming Together
by sassypaws
Summary: CHAPTER 25 is now up. This is what should happen at the beginning of the 7th season. My gift for all those that love Luke and Lorelai. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1 Parted

**Summary: **This story is my reaction to the spoilers for the sixth season finale, _**Partings**_. This is my vision of the beginning of season seven called **_Coming Together._**

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**A/N:**This is my first attempt at fan fiction. Please be kind and honest when you read and review!

**Chapter 1 - Parted **

Lorelai pulled her Jeep into her driveway for the first time in almost a month. Everything seemed crazy, nothing had changed but it all looked so different. She didn't want to be here but then, she really didn't want to be any place. This house was her home but it didn't seem like it anymore; maybe because it was supposed to be _their_ home. She knew that she had came back here in part so she could feel closer to him even though she never wanted to set foot in this house again because it reminded her of him.

She needed to get on with her life but she didn't want to. She just wanted to go back in time but she needed to go forward. She didn't know how to do that since all the strength and resilience within her had seemed to have vanished. She couldn't care any more probably because she had cared too much. Sometimes she thought she was going crazy.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Babette watching her. "Please Babette, please, please, please, don't come out. I can't talk to anyone yet" she prayed to herself. Babette just watched. Lorelai knew within the hour everyone would know she was back. Well, maybe not everyone. He probably wouldn't know. Hell, he probably didn't even know she had been gone.

It had taken all of strength to just come home. Now she just wanted to disappear.

It had been almost a month since he had seen her. Luke was going out of his mind. No one would talk to him. Of course, he didn't really want to talk to anyone about this; he just wanted to know where she was, if she was alright.

That night, it had spun out of control. He didn't understand what happened. She had been wired, like she had drunk twelve pots of coffee. She wouldn't listen to him. She just kept pushing and pushing, wanting to eloping right then.

He tried to explain that he needed more time. His relationship with April was so tenuous and Anna was complicating everything. He couldn't handle it all. He needed time. God, why did she have to push him?

He never dealt well with being pushed. He handled ultimatums even worst. He had a temper, she had pushed him, and she had issued an ultimatum.

He was already in a bad mood when Lorelai had walked in the diner. Anna had gone ballistic on him earlier that day. He wasn't in the best state of mind to deal with a highly agitated Lorelai that night

God, just when he thought everything was beginning to come together, suddenly everything was exploding. He needed more time, why the hell couldn't Lorelai just give him a little more time?

When she pushed to elope right then, he got so mad. Couldn't she understand that he couldn't deal with this? He had been patient for nearly six months while she waited for Rory to return to her senses. Didn't he deserve as much? He loved her, she knew that. He just needed some space.

She wouldn't listen to him. She said things, he said things, and everything was spinning out of control. Then she had, without warning, slipped his ring off of her finger and handed it to him saying, "I can't be in this relationship any more." She just turned and walked out of his life and his world collapsed.

Chris hugged and kissed is daughter and put her down for her nap. God he loved this kid. She was everything to him. S he was his miracle, his second chance.

He loved Rory too but so much of his emotions for his first born were wrapped in guilt.Each minute thathe spent with GiGi reminded him how much of Rory's life had been lost to him. He never truly understood what kind of jerk of a father he had been until GiGi. Every day there was something new to learn and know about her and every day he realized again how much he had missed with Rory.

At times his guilt overwhelmed him. He wanted to give all of his girls everything, make everything perfect for them and that included Lorelai. He would do anything to make them happy; anything!

Lorelai had always amazed and fascinated him but now that he was beginning to truly comprehend what she had actually gone through, he was in awe. As he looked back, he couldn't believe that at seventeen she had taken Rory and step out on her own to build a life. How did she know what to do, how had she managed with no education, no money and no help?

God knows he had never helped. While she had been changing diapers, reading bedtime stories and working as a minimum wage laborer, he had been drinking and partying with the bikini clad girls in southern California. Oh, he call once a week (well, to be honest it was more like once or twice a month during for the first sixteen years) but he never offered to help, neither financially nor emotionally, he gave her nothing. He never really felt guilty about it. After all, she was the one who rejected his proposal and turned her back on her parents help. She had never asked him for anything so why should he feel guilty?

Now with the perspective of age and experience, he wondered why she would even bother to speak with him much less be nice to him after the way he had treated her. But she had always forgiven him. If was as though she never expected anything more from him so he had never really disappointed her. Thinking like that made him feel even more like a heel.

Lorelai had always let him see Rory or talk to Rory whenever he wanted. She would drive to Hartford whenever he was in town so that he could see Rory for a few hours each year on holidays. If he forgot to send a gift for Rory's birthday or Christmas, he knew that Lorelai covered for him. He never even bothered to repay her.

After years of ignoring her, of taking her for granted, of walking into her life and messing it up and then leaving her to deal with the refuse of broken dreams and promises, Chris knew he had no right to be in her life anymore. Yet, Lorelai was still always there when he needed her. He always wondered why?

For years he believed that she did it because she truly loves him and that they were destined to be together. That belief had empowered him to interfere in her life and try to destroy her relationships. He had never really thought about what was best for her or what would truly make her happy. He wanted her and she was destined to be with him that is all he thought about. He never thought about if he was the right guy for her. She was his.

His relationship with Lorelai survived Max and it survived Sherry but with Luke it was different. Somehow Luke's presence had permeated every aspect of the lives of the Gilmore girls. Chris had to admit that Luke was a force to be reckoned with.

From almost his first visit to Stars Hallow when Rory was only sixteen, Chris has been jealous of Luke. His name kept coming up in conversation not only about coffee and food but in connection the girls' (his girls) everyday life. Apparently, Luke was much more than simply the Gilmore Girls coffee supplier and meal provider.

Then came the Vow Renewal ceremony. Emily had encouraged him to try to win Lorelai back. He really hadn't intended on making a scene at the reception. He had told himself that he was going to go simple to observe Lorelai with Luke first hand.

What he saw had upset him more than he ever imagined. Lorelai was radiant around Luke. She sparkled and glowed like he had never seen before. She loved this diner guy, truly loved him and was loved by him.

Chris was devastated. He drank way too much. He said way too much and ended up causing a rift between Lorelai and Luke.

Lorelai was furious at him. Her words had cut him like a razor. She didn't want him, she wanted Luke. She had made her choice and he had come in last. She wanted him out of her life.

It had taken him over a year for him to build up the courage to contact her. She was now engaged to Luke and radiant. He realized that a radiant Lorelai made him happy even if he wasn't the one who had lit the fire in her.

He will always love her.

_(tbc)_


	2. Chapter 2 Scattered Pieces

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Scattered Pieces**

Paul Anka jumped out of the Jeep as soon as Lorelai opened the door and he smelled the air of home. He was so happy to be home. Maybe now everything would get back to normal.

Everything had been weird for some time. Paul Anka didn't handle weird well. He liked his routine.

It really started to be weird that night that Mom did not come home. She never left him alone all night before. Then, no one came to feed him in the morning. He really needed to take a walk (you know, to relieve himself) but no one came to walk him either.

He had tried to hold it in but eventually he had lifted his leg and relieved himself against the kitchen table. He was sorry about that but, gee, what's a dog to do?

Finally as the sun began to set again, Sugar Toes (a.k.a Rory) showed up. Boy was he happy! First of all, he really loved Sugar Toes and secondly, he still needed that walk. Plus, his dinner bowl was empty and the water bowl was getting low.

Sugar Toes took him for a walk around the neighborhood. It sure felt good to walk and uh, take care of business. He was happy.

Just as they were heading back towards home, Cat Woman (a.k.a Babette) came out to talk with Sugar Toes. He liked Cat Women even though she smelled like Cat (a.k.a Apricot). As soon as he saw Cat Woman, he began sniffing the air for Cat. He didn't like Cat. Cat scared him.

Sugar Toes talked with Cat Woman for a few minutes. He didn't pay much attention since he was busy watching out for Cat but he did hear something about taking a little vacation. He wasn't sure what a vacation was but as long as he was with Mom and Sugar Toes and, hopefully, Dad, he'd be happy.

Sugar Toes took him back in and fed him some kibble. He really had hoped that Dad would come and fix him a burger but kibble was better than nothing. He watched as Sugar Toes packed up Mom's clothes and his food and toys. Looks like a vacation meant leaving home. He didn't think he was going to like taking a vacation.

And it turned out that he was right. Mom had been so sad the whole time they were on vacation. Sugar Toes had been sad too. Dad didn't even show up for the vacation and Paul Anka really missed him. No one fixed him a burger.

Boy was he glad that the vacation was over. Maybe now Dad would come home and cook his burger and make Mom not so sad.

* * *

Luke was wiping down the counter. It was a nervous habit. Whenever he wasn't cooking or serving or stocking or tallying, he would wipe. After all, a counter could never be too clean.

It was the afternoon lull. Only Kirk was in the diner. Caesar was cleaning the grease trap and Lane wasn't expected in until 4:00PM for the dinner rush.

Luke was wiping down the counter for the umpteenth time that day when he saw it. It was her Jeep. He would recognize it anywhere. Straining to see who was driving, his heart leaped! It was her; she was back.

His heart began racing. She was back but for how long? Was she staying? Where had she been? Would she talk with him? Would she even listen to him after what he had said that night? Did she still care? Did she still love him?

He wanted to run out the door and head to her house this very minute. He needed to see her, to talk with her; he needed to kiss and hold her. He needed to fix everything. He needed to tell her how stupid he had been and how sorry he was that he had screwed it all up. He needed her to know how important she was to his life. He needed her to know how much he loved her and how much he just needed her.

But he was afraid.

So much had happened and most of it was his fault. He still couldn't believe how he had let it all spin away. How had he been so dense, so obtuse? How could he not notice how hurt she was? How could he not see how hard it had all been for her? How could he have shut her out of his life?

Of course, now he knew. That's what three weeks, five days, and seventeen hours of self-examination and flagellation will do for a guy. It makes you look back at all your mistakes, at all of your wrong choices. It makes you relive over and over again every damn stupid action that you took and really see how it wounded the one person you truly loved. It makes you see what you should have seen but didn't.

He had never meant to make her feel unimportant in his life. God, she was the most important thing in his life, she and April. He would rather die than be forced to choose between them. Yet, essentially that's what she thought he did and she felt he choose April.

She had been the only one that was truly important in his life for so many years. He was always there for her. He made a science of studying her face and body language. She was good at masking whatever was really going on in her mind and he had become the expert at deciphering her subtle signals. But that was before his life had become so complicated.

Of course, who in their right mind could have foreseen April's appearance in his life? Only in the mind of a delusional soap opera writer or an arrogant, "out of new ideas" network TV producer could such a scenario seem plausible. Yet, it happened to him.

From the moment April first appeared and started talking about a DNA test and "Who's Your Daddy", he had been in shock. He had never planned to go to that science fair but suddenly he found himself there. He saw the evidence, he was a father.

For over twelve years he had had a daughter; Anna's kid, his and Anna's kid. He never thought that HE would be in this situation.

Sure he had lived through a pregnancy scare with Rachel but what had most scared him was the fear that she would abort their kid if she turned out to be pregnant. He wanted the kid. He had already decided to try to get her to let him raise it if she turned out to be pregnant. He would have made any deal with her if she would just agree to carry the baby.

Luckily the scared was for nothing. She wasn't pregnant and he vowed to be more careful.

After Rachel left and broke his heart that last time (well, it wasn't the last time she left but it was the last time she broke his heart), he didn't want anything to do with women. He lived his life solo without any pesky emotional tangles. It was good for a time but after a while he started to feel lonely.

Then one day, a couple of years after Rachel left the first time, he met Anna.

She was pretty, funny, nice, and down to earth. His gut told him immediately that they would get along. Anna had shared with him when they first got together that she wasn't looking for marriage or a family and that worked for him.

In fact, according to Anna, she couldn't even get pregnant (she had had some sort of inflammation or infection, he wasn't sure what since he hadn't really paid attention) but it meant that he didn't have to worry about an unplanned pregnancy. That suited him just fine and it also meant that he didn't have to worry about, you know, protection.

They had fun together which was good. He had been so down after Rachel left that it was nice to have fun again. He and Anna would go out to eat together or go see a movie, sometimes go bowling or just watch TV, and of course, there was sex. They both enjoyed the sex.

He thought everything was good between them but then, about seven or eight months after they started dating, she said she wanted to have a talk. He knew what that meant. Nothing good every came after a women said, "We need to talk".

Anna started by asking him, "Where do you see this relationship going?"

Luke didn't really know how to respond. He wasn't the type that planned for the future much (well, not as far as relationships; he did try to plan financially but that's all). His response was something lame like he didn't really know but he thought things were going good now so he guess that he wanted it to continue.

That was definitely not the response she was looking for. Apparently, she hoped for something more; something more solid, something more stable from him.

That idea made him squirm. He wasn't looking to commit to anything other than a monogamous relationship. He didn't want to live with her and he definitely wasn't ready to marry her. He liked his space. He just wanted to spend time with her and he had thought that was what she wanted, too.

Evidently he was wrong. She told him that she was really looking for more of a commitment and if he didn't see that in their future, then maybe they were wasting their time. She wanted to end it.

He understood. They weren't on the same page. He didn't want to hurt her, he did care for her but he wasn't in love with her and couldn't pretend to be. If she couldn't be happy with that, then it was better that they end it. That way she could maybe find what she was looking for. He thought they ended on good terms.

Now he wondered if she had a different agenda for "The Talk". Maybe she already knew that she was pregnant. Maybe because he hadn't offered her any indication of a different future together, she had decided to not tell him about his kid. Maybe he had screwed up.

After finding out he was a father, he was really confused. Neither April nor Anna seemed to want or need him in their lives. After all, April was already twelve. The sudden appearance of her father at this point in her life seemed more dramatic that necessary. He decided to just ignore the whole thing.

Unfortunately that was easier said than done.

He couldn't forget that he had a kid no matter how hard he tried. Then, at Thanksgiving, when Lorelai had told him that Christopher was finally stepping up and helping Rory (by paying for Yale) he felt sick. He was no better than Christopher.

Even though he wasn't involved in April's life, he still had a financial obligation to his kid and to Anna. He knew that kids were expensive to rear. He owed them.

He had to make that right. He tried to reach Anna but all he ever got was the answering machine. This was not the sort of message he could leave especially since he didn't want April to know anything about it. After all, she was only twelve; she didn't need to hear that stuff

When he finally was able to meet with Anna, it was all so surreal. She didn't seem at all apologetic about keeping his daughter from him. She said that since they were already broken up and she knew he didn't want or even like kids, she didn't tell him.

That hurt. He had always respected Anna and thought that she respected him. But if she didn't think that he was good enough to be April's dad, well that meant something, didn't it?

Maybe he didn't go out of his way to be spend time around kids. Maybe he was cranky about other people's kids. But that was different

He wouldn't have been that way with his kid. He would have loved and protected his kid. He knew that but if Anna thought otherwise, maybe everyone thought that also. That was not good.

After he left Anna's house that day, he was freaked. All he kept thinking about was April. Then when he looked at her web site, well, all of his feelings and frustrations just sort of exploded.

Next thing he knows, he is calling Anna and demanding to see April. He didn't think about what that meant or how that single action would change everything.

How could he know that one call would put in play a set of actions that would ultimately lead to that fateful night where he lost the love of his life? He should have thought it out, he should have seen it coming, and he should have talked with Lorelai. How could he be so blind and stupid? How did he let that happen?

* * *

Lorelai smiled as she watched Paul Anka survey and mark the yard. He seemed really happy to be home. She wished that she felt that way.

As she looked at the house that she had called home for over a decade, so many thoughts and emotions were whirling around in her that she couldn't pinpoint exactly what she felt. Her eyes began to sting as tears formed.

She didn't want to cry anymore.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a car turning onto the driveway. She turned to see Rory parking her car behind the Jeep.

"Hey, you doing okay, Mom', Rory asked as she got out of her car.

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai replied, "I'm okay, it just kind of hit me again."

"I know, Mom, I get it, but it will get better."

She smiled at Rory as she said, "You're right. It was just, you know, a little much after that long drive, but I am okay. I can do this."

"We are strong, we are invincible, we are women", cried Rory!

"We are woman in serious need of caffeine!"

"Come on, Mom, let's get our stuff inside and start that coffee pot perking!"

Once inside, more memories threaten to overwhelm Lorelai. Everywhere she looked reminded her of him. She saw him in the living room stretched out on the sofa sleeping, or poking at the fireplace. She saw herself running down the stairs to meet him, wearing her "perfect dress" and him at the foot of the steps looking at her with so much love and awe. He was in the kitchen cooking, or cleaning, or eating. His essence permeated every fiber of this house.

That cold emptiness that had formed in her gut when she walked out on him was beginning to expand again. She had spent the last weeks wrestling with that emptiness and thought that she had finally learned to contain it. Now it threatened to engulf her again.

Nausea began creeping into her gut as she began to feel light-headed. She sunk down on the sofa and rested her head, trying to center her emotions once again.

"I am strong, I can do this" she chanted like a mantra in her head. Slowly the light headedness and the nausea began to subside. Strength and resilience began to return to her body. Determination was overcoming her fears and insecurities. She was once again the master of her being.

Lorelai had spent the last few weeks coming to grips with the reality of losing Luke. At first she could only feel anger, pain and anguish. She couldn't think, she couldn't reason. All of her actions were merely instinctual responses, no comprehension; no analysis was factored into her cognitive process.

She was beyond hurt when she left Luke that night. She was totally broken. She had gotten into her Jeep and drove off. There was no destination. She merely was running.

At some point she must have made a decision. She had no memory of that. All she knew is she ended up in Boston that night and she was knocking at Christopher's door.

Looking back, she saw what an odd decision that was. Under normal conditions, she would have turned to Rory but Rory was dealing with Logan. Rory had always been there to help her pick up the pieces of her life, well almost always. But to choose Christopher as an alternate, that was really bizarre.

Christopher had never been someone she relied on for support. He wasn't strong and he wasn't what you might call trustworthy.

She had known him since they both were six. Even then, she was always the instigator of their mischief and he just followed her lead. Chris talked a good game, but when it came to planning and carrying any high jinx, he was not a leader just a follower.

He would rant and rave about how he would show Straub and Francine but when it came to actions, he was really all talk. Chris was sort of a rudderless boat without her and she knew that.

When everyone found out about the pregnancy, Chris was totally worthless. Richard, Emily, Straub, and even milquetoast Francine were all after her to do "the right thing". Right thing for whom, she wanted to know, because it wasn't the right thing for her or Chris or IT.

Lorelai pleaded with Chris to help her make them all understand but he just sat there looking lost and dazed. When she and Chris had talked privately about how they were going to deal with becoming young parents, he was totally on board with her stance but then the minute the parents got a hold of him, he caved to their position. He was absolutely useless to her.

Was she the only one who saw marriage between two 16 year olds as a total farce leading only to a disaster? Yes, she acknowledged that getting pregnant at 16 was a huge mistake. What she couldn't understand is why anyone would think that making an equally big mistake (i.e. marriage) would fix anything?

It was at that point she realized that she was going to be raising this kid alone. She knew that she could never rely on Chris.

She always forgave him for his lack of parental interaction with Rory. After all, she thought, what else did she expect from him? A zebra can't change its stripes. Christopher would always be feckless; a charming, witty, feckless ne'er-do-well.

That's why she was shocked that she, in her near catatonic state, had turned to Christopher for support! And that's why she was equally surprise by his compassionate and sensitivity and how he had handle everything. He really came through for her.

_(tbc)_


	3. Chapter 3 Finding the Pieces

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**A/N: **Hope you like this. Don't be worried, I am aavid JavaJunkie, but I don't_hate_Christopher.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Finding the Pieces**

As she turned on the coffee pot, Rory felt that gnawing fear in the pit of her stomach growing and spreading. Maybe they came back too soon. Maybe her mother wasn't ready for this. Maybe there was another way. Maybe it wouldn't work. Maybe it would backfire. There were just so many maybes.

As painful as Lorelai's breakdown had been something positive had come from it. It forced both Lorelai and Rory to really talk; a no holes barred brutally honest type talk. There was a lot crap that they had allowed to build up between them and it all had to be torn down before they could begin to rebuild bridges.

Breaking up with Luke had been the final push that had broken Lorelai but it was far from the only reason for her emotional crash. This had been building for a long time.

The years of alienation from her family, the weight of responsibility at such a young age, the feeling of abandonment and rejection from so many in her life had left Lorelai with a bruised and batter ego. She had protected herself from pain through flippant humor, quirky wisecracks and an effervescent personality. Losing Luke had stripped her of all those defenses.

Luke had been her confidant, her support, her rock, her soul mate, and now he was gone. Lorelai couldn't remember ever feeling so completely alone, so completely vulnerable. There had always been someone in her life that she could rely on, someone she could trust completely. Now she felt like there was no one and there would never be anyone ever again. She would never have Luke again. This terrified her beyond belief.

When she was young, Christopher had been her best buddy, they were allies. Their lives were parallel worlds filled with frustrations, dissatisfaction, and disappointment. They were two jelly beans in the Harford elite pea pod, forever doomed to be ignored and rejected.

Christopher had kept her sane all those years ago. He had given her hope that not everyone would see her just as a disappointment and failure. That there were other peoplewho would accept and maybe even embrace her for whom and what she is.

Lorelai and Christopher had been the terrible twosomes, the disappointing duo, united for ever. That was, until a third person joined the team.

From the very moment that Lorelai first realized that a baby, a person was growing in her, she changed. Long before she knew IT was Rory she knew she had a new confidant. Someone who needed her, loved her, and would never reject her. Oddly, the very knowledge of the baby inside her freed her from so many of her pesky insecurities.

Christopher never had the same epiphany. He was just alone.

Everyone (except her parents) saw Christopher as this negligent father who essentially abandoned both Rory and her. Lorelai saw it just the opposite. She always felt guilt about Christopher because she knew that once she had found out about Rory, she had pulled away from him. She left him alone to deal with life.

Lorelai drew her strength from Rory. It was Rory that gave her the courage to leave Hartford, to leave her parents, to build a new and wonderful life. Rory was her salvation. She loved and trusted Rory like no one else on earth. She built her life on the foundation of her relationship with her daughter.

That was until her daughter abandoned her last year and moved back to Hartford. Rory not only rejected Lorelai but she chose to embrace the very life style that had nearly destroyed the essence of Lorelai's soul.

But Luke had been there. He had held her together. He comforted her and kept her steady while she waited for Rory to come back. She knew that without his support, she would have simply ceased to exist.

In return she completely and totally surrendered all of her love and trust to him. She willingly and happily gave all of herself to Luke forever.

But now he didn't want her any more. He left her alone and without hope. Without him, Lorelai was just an empty shell.

So Friday night, with no where else to go, Lorelai had knocked on Christopher's door in desperation.

Saturday morning, Christopher called Rory for help.

* * *

It had been 7:03AM on Saturday morning when Rory's cell phone had began to ring. She was still sleeping and didn't appreciate the wake-up call. Last night had been tough on her, she had said goodbye to Logan as he left for his year in England.

She thought about just letting the call go to voice mail, but luckily, she checked the caller ID first. It was from her mom's cell so she answered.

"It's too early" she grumbled in the phone.

"Rory, I'm sorry to be calling you so early but it's me, Dad."

"Oh Dad, hi, I'm sorry but I thought it was Mom on the phone. She does this to me all the time. Hey, what are you doing calling on Mom's phone?"

"I need your help, kid. Your mom's here with me and she's not in the best of shape."

"What do you mean? Why is she there? What happened?"

"I'm not sure exactly. She just showed up at my door late last night. Rory, I have never seen her like this. She'is a mess. I don't know what to do. Should I call your Grandparents or maybe a doctor?"

"What happened? Was she in an accident? Did she get attacked? Oh my god, did someone rape her?"

"No, no, no I don't think it was anything like that. She said that she and Luke got in a big fight. She said they broke up."

"Oh my god! Okay, just let her stay there and don't let her leave. I'll get there as soon as possible. Try to get her to eat or drink something at least. I'll take care of her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. She was like this the last time they broke up. It'll be okay. I can handle it."

Rory hung up the phone and started to get dressed. "Oh, this is bad", she thought. "This is really bad. I wonder what the hell happened."

It normally took Rory about an hour and a half to get from New Haven to her Dad's condo in Boston. Today she arrived on his door step a mere one hour and seventeen minutes after the phone call (and that included dressing). Chris opened the door almost before she could knock.

"Oh, thank god you're here. I don't know what to do for her. She won't eat or drink, not even coffee! I have never seen Lorelai refuse coffee before! I tried to get her to talk but she just keeps saying something about Luke and her middle? I don't know. It doesn't make any sense."

"Let me talk to her, okay? Where is she?"

"She's in my bedroom."

Rory entered her dad's room cautiously. She found Lorelai curled up in almost a fetal position lying in Chris' bed staring at a blank corner in the room. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She was clutching the covers tightly up to her neck.

"Mom?"

_(Crickets)_.

"Mom?"

_(Crickets again)_.

"Mom, please talk to me?"

"Rory?"

"Mom, I'm here."

"Go away. Please, just go home Rory."

Rory moved to the opposite side of the bed and lay down. She scooted close to her mom and reached out to hug her tight. "I'm here and I'm not leaving. Now you have to tell me what happened."

"It's gone, it's all gone."

"What's gone?"

" Luke. My middle."

"Mom, what do you mean your middle; middle of what? And where's Luke? Did something happen to Luke?"

"Luke's gone. Luke's and my middle is gone."

Lorelai's breathing was becoming ragged and raspy. She was trying not to cry but it was hard.

She really wanted just to be left alone. Talking was too hard. Everything was too hard. She was sorry that Rory cared so much and that she wanted to help but Lorelai really just wanted her to leave.

She didn't want to think about anything even though she couldn't stop thinking. The same thoughts keep rolling over and over in her head and they wouldn't leave her alone. "Luke doesn't love me. No one really loves me. I'm just a disappointment to everyone. There's no one that wants the real me. Luke doesn't want me. Rory doesn't need me. Luke doesn't need me. Luke doesn't trust me. Everyone would just be better off if I was just gone."

All of those thoughts kept spinning around and around in Lorelai's head as she slipped into a fitful sleep.

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* * *

Rory laid there watching her mother sleep. She was really worried. Last time it was days before Lorelai would leave the house. This time her mom seemed even more devastated.

They couldn't stay here in Boston at Christopher's condo but Rory wasn't sure she could get her mom home without help. Actually, she wasn't sure that she _should_ take her mom home at all. That house was full of Luke reminders. That might make everything worse.

If she didn't take her mom home, where could they go? The grandparents were out of the question. The apartment in New Haven would work for a couple of days but with Logan out of the country for a year, all of his stuff was going to be packed up and put into storage on Tuesday. So at best, New Haven was a very temporary option. After that, what should she do?

Maybe Christopher could help.

Rory checked to see if her mother was still sleeping before she left the room to talk with her dad. Lorelai was sleeping fitfully but still sleeping, so Rory got up.

Christopher looked anxious as he sat on the sofa waiting for Rory to come out. When he saw the bedroom door open and his oldest daughter emerge, he sat up straighter.

"How is she" he asked

"Not good. She's even worse than the last time. She didn't really tell me much. What exactly happened last night?"

Christopher had the decency to look contrite knowing full well he was one of the major causes of the last breakup. "Like I said, about 11:00 o'clock last night I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and there was your Mom. She was really upset and I could see that she had been crying. "

"God, Rory, she was in bad shape. She could barely walk. She just kind of stumbled through the door and I caught her and helped her to the sofa. I tried to find out what had happened but she wasn't making much sense. All I could get was that she had fought with Luke and that they had broken up."

"Then she just broke down and really started crying and shaking. I must have held her for at least a half hour just trying to get her calm."

"When she finally stopped crying, she was still shaking. She seemed like she was kind of in shock. So I got up and fixed her a brandy. She drank it and then before I knew what she was doing, she grabbed the bottle and started chugging it. She must have drank half of the brandy before I got it away from her"

"When I grabbed the bottle from her, I don't know whether it pissed her off or what. Anyway she just started in on this rant. How she wasn't worth serving brandy to, she only deserved rotgut. Then she started talking on and on about how she was nothing but a burden to everyone and everyone would be better off if she was gone."

"I tried to calm her down again but she kept pushing me away. The all of a sudden she kind of hunch over and began looking really pale. I knew that she was about to, you know, get sick. I tried to get her to bathroom but I wasn't fast enough."

"She just started to heave. She was really sick. I finally got her to bathroom but she was already a mess. I held her over the toilet for many 30 or 45 minutes. I've never seen anyone that sick before. I've got admit I was scared."

"When it finally looked like she was done, I tried to clean her up. She didn't fight me or try to help. It was like she didn't care."

"I put her into the shower but she just stood there. She wouldn't even take off her clothes or anything. So I had to clean her up myself. She was a total mess but she was like a zombie, totally immobile."

"You took off her clothes?"

"Yes, but God Rory, it wasn't like that. She had gotten sick all over herself: it was on her clothes, in her hair, everywhere. She needed to be cleaned up. I just took care of her, you know cleaned her up, washed her hair. Nothing else happened."

"After she was cleaned up, I dried her off. She still wouldn't move or do anything for herself. It was like she was catatonic or something. I even had to carry her to bed. I just laid her down and left her there to go get her some clean clothes. By the time I got back, she was already asleep. So I just covered her up and left her alone."

"I came in here to clean it up. She had made kind of a mess, you know with the puking and all. Then I cleaned up the bathroom. I tried to rinse out her clothes but I think they're trashed. I'll send them to the cleaners. Maybe they can do something."

"I came back in here to sleep on the sofa but then I heard your mom. It sounded like she was crying again, so I went to check on her."

"She was crying and moaning in her sleep. I guess she was having a nightmare or something. I lay down next to her and held her because she was shaking. I thought maybe she was cold. That seemed to comfort her. She quieted down and I guess I fell asleep."

"Next thing I know, GiGi is in the room and she's screaming. Seeing Lorelai kind of freaked her out. I grabbed up GiGi and got her out of here. I quieted her down and fixed her breakfast. While she was eating, I checked on Lorelai."

"I found her just lying there on her back, staring into space. She looked freaked so I lay down next to her like I had last night, you know, trying to comfort her again. All I was trying to do was help, but it just seemedto upset her. She started crying and yelling at me to leave her alone. So I left."

"That's when I called you."

"Dad, you swear that's all you did," Rory asked suspiciously?

"For God's sake, Rory, do you really think I'm some kind of monster or something? That I would ravish Lorelai when she was so obviously hurt and broken? Gee, feel the love."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean anything by that. It's just that you and Mom kind of have this history, bad history of inappropriate behavior. It always ends badly and then Mom ends up hurting."

Rory looked directly into her father's eyes as if to read his mind before she said, "If you're telling me that nothing happened then I believe you. I do!"

"So what's the plan now, kiddo?"

"She can't stay here but I need to take her somewhere. I just don't think home is such a good idea right now. She and Luke renovated the house, you know, to make it more Luke friendly. I am afraid that it might be just a little too much of a reminder of him. I thought of staying at the Dragonfly but I am not sure that anywhere is Stars Hallow is a good idea right now, too many memories too many nosey people."

"I guess we could stay in the apartment in New Haven but everything is being packed up there on Tuesday so that is only temporary. I don't want to take her to the grandparents. I don't think she is in any state of mind to be able to deal with Richard and Emily. I suppose we could stay at an inn or motel until she's feeling better. I just have to check and see about the money situation"

"Oh, please Rory, if you're worried about money, don't. Remember, I'm loaded. I will pay for whatever you need. Maybe you and she should check in to one of those fancy spas for a week, no make it a month. Or take a month long cruise or better yet, rent a villa at the Côte d'Azur. The sky's the limit, kid. Whatever you need to take care of your mom, just say the word."

Rory smiled at Chris's over the top generosity. There were a lot of thing she could say that weren't so nice about her father, but she knew that he sincerely cared her mother.

"I don't think a month at a spa or on a cruise or a villa at the French Riviera is what she needs right now. We just need someplace peaceful and quiet and away from everything. Just someplace that would give Mom a chance to get it together and heal."

Chris slapped his forehead as he said, "Wait Rory, I've got the perfect place. The Hayden Family Trust has a place up in the Pocono Mountains. The main house is this big log cabin with five bedrooms, seven baths, a kitchen and a huge great room. A couple of months ago, I had the whole electronic system rewired and upgraded for internet access. It's got a satellite system, plasma TV in all the rooms, and an awesome sound system. There's even a hot tub and tennis court. Outside of the main lodge there's this game room with billiards, ping pong and stuff. There are even a caretaker and his wife that take care of the place, you know, who do the cooking and cleaning. They live in cabin on the property."

"No one is using the place much since my grandfather died. He loved it up there. He would invite various family members and friends to stay there with him all of the time. It was like a royal summons to be invited to the Lodge."

"It's a great place and it would be perfect. You could stay there for as long as you needed to" said Christopher smugly.

"But Dad, what if someone else wants to use it?"

"Then they're out of luck. I control the access to it. No one can use it unless I let them. Look, this is for the Hayden family and you are entitled to use it just like anyone else in the Hayden family. You are my daughter; you are part of the Hayden clan."

"Err; I guess it would be alright. I mean it sounds perfect, Dad. It just that I feel really weird about it. I don't want Mom to feel weird about it."

"Rory, please. I owe you and your Mother so much more than I can ever give you. I really want to do this for you and for your mom. Besides, like I said, you're entitled to use it just as much as any of the rest of the family."

"Okay. It does sound perfect. Now I guess I better called Sookie. I don't know, it's heading into the busy summer months. Hopefully she and Michele can handle everything until Mom is better."

"Rory let me help there, too. You tell Sookie and Michele that if they need to hire someone temporarily to help cover the slack, I'll pay for it. You just tell me what you need; I'll take care of it. It is the very least I can do. I want to do this kid. I really need to do this."

"I get it Dad but it's just that Mom really hates to take anything from anyone. She's got that stubborn pride thing going. I don't want her mad when she finds out. It's just that I don't know what else to do."

"If your mother gets mad, then tell her it was entirely my fault. I forced you. I told you that if you didn't take my help, I would call Richard and Emily! Even your mom would agree that this is a better option that your grandparents."

"Okay, I guess so. I suppose I better go and pack up some stuff. I'll go to back to New Haven first and get the rest of my things. I can then head to the Hollow and pack some stuff for Mom. Then I guess just come back and get her and we can head off, if that's okay with you? You think you can take care of mom while I'm gone, 'cuz it's going to take me six maybe seven hours to do all of this?"

"No problem kid. Take your time. I'll t­ake care of your mom. I sent GiGi with her nanny to visit her grandma today. They're staying the night. When you get back you and your mom can stay here tonight. You can get a good night sleep tonight and take off for the Lodge tomorrow."

* * *

Luke was stun beyond words, beyond action, beyond feeling. What the hell had just happened?

Sure it had been a really bad day. Anna had freaked out because Lorelai had come to her store. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened between them but Anna was sure upset. She yelled and threatened him.

He was pissed at Lorelai. Why couldn't she just stay out of it, it wasn't her concern. He was handling it. My god, did she think he was totally incompetent? April was his daughter, his and Anna's. It didn't concern Lorelai.

He had been trying to reach Lorelai since he left Anna's but he couldn't find her. Sure he had been a little upset with her at first but when he wasn't able to reach her, his anger sort of built up. By the time she walked into the diner tonight, he was really mad.

He started out by yelling at her. She responded by blaming the whole thing on Anna, like going behind his back was no big deal.

Things just went downhill from that point.

The next thing he knows, Lorelai is pushing to elope tonight! Like that would solve everything.

Luke was not having any of her trickery or evasive maneuvers. Of course he told her absolutely not, they weren't going to run off and elope. They had some serious problems to work on, like how she didn't respect his space.

Then, completely out of the blue, she hands him the engagement ring, says that she can't be in this relationship anymore, and walks out the door.

He was dumbstruck. What the hell was that? Sure they were fighting, couples fight but it wasn't that big of fight, was it? He still love her, didn't she love him? He still wanted to get married, he just needed some time.

But evidently she was out of time.

It was a good five minutes after Lorelai walked out before Luke could actually respond. He needed to talk to her, to try to understand. This just didn't make any sense.

He ran out of the diner and to her house. It was dark and her car wasn't there. She wasn't there.

He began to run all over town, but he couldn't find her. He tried her cell but it went to voice mail immediately.

Dejectedly, Luke came back to the diner. He had neglected to lock up before he ran out so naturally Kirk was setting at the counter.

"Kirk, what are you doing here?"

"It's a diner, I came to dine."

"I'm closed now, go home Kirk."

"But the sign says OPEN and the door was unlocked."

Luke just turned and looked at Kirk. Something in his eyes told Kirk to shut up and leave if he valued his life. Kirk got up and ran out the diner.

Luke turned the sign to CLOSED, locked the door and turned off the lights. He didn't bother finishing up the tally for the day, he didn't mop the floor; he didn't do any of his normal closing procedures. He just went up to his apartment.

(tbc)


	4. Chapter 4 Identifying the Pieces

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Identifying the Pieces**

Luke walked into his apartment and just stood there in the dark. It didn't feel real to him. Nothing felt real to him. It was like he was in some weird nightmare and all he wanted to do is wake up but couldn't.

Lorelai had just broken up with him, she left him. He had lost her and he had no idea why.

There was a pain in his gut; a dull empty pain. He didn't know how to get rid of it but he wanted it to disappear.

Rising from the pain was a mass of hot emotions that began fill his chest and lodged in his throat. It was anger; raw anger mixed with grief that was threatening to overwhelm him.

"Men don't cry", he thought. "I don't cry."

Tears began streaming down his face. He felt himself begin to tremble. He was hurting. He was hurting so bad that he wasn't sure he would survive.

He had to find someway to destroy this pain this anger. He needed to hit something or break something or rip something apart or just smash something. He needed to do something to get rid of this feeling.

Suddenly he turned and slammed his fist hard into the wall. That single punch was powered by all of his pent up grief and anger and the force of it was strong enough that it managed to do some serious damage to one of the wall panels.

Luke stared at the hole that he had just created incredulously. "That was really stupid, Danes", he thought to himself. "What the hell good did that do?"

Now there was a major hole in his wall and his hand was covered in cuts and bruises.

"Well, that's what happens when you decided to slam your fist into a solid, three-quarter inch oak panel with a 2 x 4 stud behind it, idiot", he thought.

He observed his hand closely and decided that nothing was broken. But, it was hurting bad enough that he knew he was going to have some serious bruising on his knuckles. And as an added bonus, his shoulder and elbow were both beginning to throb.

"Smart", he thought,"now my hand will swell up twice the normal size and I won't be able to move my arm. This is just what I need."

He walked over to the kitchen sink and washed off the remnants of his temper tantrum from his painful right hand. His knuckles were already beginning to swell and discolor.

Next he reached into his freezer and took out a bag of frozen peas. He placed the package of frozen vegetables across his injured knuckles. He looked around for something to securely tie his homemade ice pack to his hand. He found nothing.

Since he couldn't find anything better, he decided to use his flannel shirt. He put down the "ice pack" and slipped off his shirt. He wrapped the package of peas in his shirt and awkwardly tied it over his right hand. It didn't look pretty but it would do the job.

Now his shoulder, elbow, and hand were all beginning to seriously ache and stiffen. He found the bottle of aspirin in the kitchen cabinet and tried to pry the top off. He was finding that the top was nearly impossible to get off with one hand.

"God damn stupid child-resistant top', he yelled as he threw the bottle across the room.

Once again, realizing that he had let his temper drive him to do something stupid, Luke humbly walked across the room to retrieve the offending bottle. He tried to open it again using his teeth this time. This method proved to be moderately more successful as the top did come off. Of course all of the pills spilled out on the floor in the process.

Rolling his eyes in frustration, he bent down to gather them up. The obsessively clean diner owner in him knew that he should throw away all the pills that were now contaminated by the floor, but in his present state of mind, he didn't care. He was hurt and he needed the aspirin. Damn the dirty floor.

He finished gathering up all of the pills that he could find. The whole process would have been a lot easier it he had the use of both hands. Of course, if his right hand hadn't been hurt, then he wouldn't have needed the damn aspirin in the first place. The irony of it was not lost on him.

He held on to two of the aspirins and walked back to the refrigerator. He took out a beer. Again with only one working hand, he struggled to remove the beer cap before placing the pills in his mouth. He took a big swallow of beer. It tasted really good.

It occurred to him that the beer might provide more pain relief than the aspirin. Purely for medicinal purposes, he decided to down this beer quickly. He drank it all in one breathe.

When the first bottle was empty, he grabbed a second one and took it over to his favorite chair. Feeling mad, hurt, confused and in pain, he sat down to contemplate the turn his life had taken. It was all looking pretty dismal.

Lorelai had left him and he hadn't a clue as to why. Everything was crazy. One minute she was pleading with him to run off and elope then the next minute she was breaking up with him. It didn't make any sense, not even "Lorelai" type sense.

He was obviously missing something important.

He tried to remember everything that she said earlier before she had walked out. He had been so angry at her for going to Anna behind his back and for avoiding him all day that he hadn't listened to her. At the time, he just wanted to yell at her.

Now he wished more than anything he had just kept his damn mouth shut.

The second bottle of beer was empty. He got up and got a third.

He figured that she must have just come from the Friday night dinner at her parent's house. God only knows what went on there but it was a safe bet that what ever had happened there had put her in a state.

Damn, he should have known better that to pick a fight right after she spent time with her folks. No one knew how to push Lorelai's buttons more than Richard and Emily. Whatever they said must have drudged up those insecurities about the wedding again. .

After opening his third bottle of beer, he quickly drank the first third of it right away. This was more alcohol than he usually drank but he needed it.

His pain, both physical and emotional, was subsiding somewhat. The aspirin along with the beer (probably more beer than aspirin) were doing the trick.

Now he needed to figure out how to fix this thing with Lorelai. Obviously they needed to talk. She must be feeling insecure about the wedding again. All he had to do is reassured her that he loved her and was definitely going to marry her. He just needed more time.

He drank another third of the beer.

It suddenly dawned on him that he would not be in any shape to work tomorrow, especially to meet the early deliveries. He called Caesar. He told him that he had an accident and had hurt his arm. Caesar agreed to open tomorrow.

He also called Lane to see if she could work extra hours. She also agreed.

With the diner taken care of, now Luke could concentrate on his little problem with Lorelai. It was amazing how with the aid of aspirin and alcohol, he had been able to put this whole fight into perspective.

He was now convinced that all he had to do is reassure Lorelai that everything was going to turn out all right. He just needed to talk to her.

He finished the last of this bottle of beer. He felt like another. Luke got up to get his fourth bottle, but first he needed to make a pit stop to take a leak. He snickered when he thought about the old adage, "you don't own beer you only rent it".

When he got his fourth beer, he took a moment to congratulate himself for really mastering the skill of one handed beer bottle opening. Hey, practice makes perfect!

With his beer, he sat down to figure out how to fix this little problem with Lorelai. He took another big swig of beer. Boy, it tasted good.

As he settled back in his chair, he began to feel a little sleepy. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to rest my eyes for a minute", he thought.

As his eye lids drifted shut and he headed off to sleep, he suddenly heard Lorelai shout at him, "This is never going to work; you've pull away from me, from us. You aren't ready to be in this type of commitment. You aren't even ready for a real relationship! You can't even trust me around your daughter!"

His eyes popped open. Where the hell did that come from? He looked around but Lorelai wasn't in the room. Yet he had distinctly heard her voice shouting at him. Maybe it was a dream or maybe he just was remembering some of her words from earlier?

Did Lorelai really say that to him? What did she mean that he wasn't ready to be married? What made her think he didn't trust her, he wasn't fully committed? Hadn't he already told he was all in?

Suddenly things did not seem so clear cut.

Luke finished off the fourth beer. "Oh god", he thought, "Lorelai doesn't think I trust her? What made her think that?"

Suddenly aware that his hand was freezing and sort of painfully numb, he realized that he was still wearing the "bag of peas" ice pack. He untied his shirt from around the wounded right hand and looked at it. It looked about twice its normal size. He could move his fingers a little but it hurt to do so. His knuckles were not looking so good either. They were red and raw and bruised.

"Great", he thought and got up to get the first aid kit to put something on his knuckles. When he got up he realized that he was a little unsteady on his feet. "Probably a little too much beer", he reflected to himself.

Luke was heading towards the bathroom when his boot landed on a stray aspirin lying on the floor. All of a sudden his foot shot out from under him.

Normally Luke was not overly clumsy but when his boot slipped on the aspirin, he lost all semblances of balance and dignity. The result was a maneuver that started out looking like a bicycle kick that quickly morphed into a twisted somersault which finished with a completely humiliating rendition of a pratfall landing him flat on his back!

Perhaps it was due to the high level of alcohol in his system or the fact that his right arm had painfully stiffen at a 45 degree angle rendering it worthless, but he had not been able to anything to lessen the impact of the tumble. He felt the full brunt of the force from his head to his butt. And, to add insult to injury, his forehead was now bleeding profusely from a cut above his eye where it had bounced against the edge of the coffee table.

Luke struggled to get up. His head was throbbing, his back hurt, his arm was killing him and his eye was beginning to swell shut. He wanted to get up and make his way to his bed but he was feeling a little woozy and stunned. Every time he tried to rise up, he felt sick and the pain in his back was excruciating. Finally, he just gave up and lay there.

He was feeling pretty sorry for himself. Life had dealt him a bad hand. It wasn't his fault. How did everything get so messed up? All he was trying to do was be a father to his daughter. How had he lost Lorelai?

How could he live without her?

Lorelai, Rory, and Chris along with Paul Anka (the dog) arrived at the Hayden Lodge just after 2:00 PM. Chris had insisted on accompanying them so that he could drive Lorelai's Jeep and help them get settled. He originally told Rory that he would just catch a plane from the Wilkes-Barre airport (which is about 40 minutes from the Lodge) back to Boston that afternoon but after checking the schedules it would take longer to fly back than drive.

He then arranged for a car and driver to get him home. Unfortunately (or not) the limo service couldn't accommodate him that afternoon. He would have to spend the night at the Lodge with the Gilmore girls and leave the next day.

The previous evening when Rory finally returned to the condo, Chris told her that Lorelai seemed to be better since she was at least making sense when she talked. He had gotten her to eat a couple of donuts and drink some coffee. But she had basically slept all day.

When Rory came in to the bedroom, she found her mother curled up asleep. Rory lay down next to her and hugged her tight. Lorelai woke up.

"Hey Mom."

"Hey sweetie."

"How are you doing? Feeling any better?"

"I'm better. Sorry about earlier. I guess I was tired and kind of a mess. You don't need to worry about me any more."

"Mom, I love you. I am here and not going anywhere without you. We will get through this together. I just want you to feel better."

"Honey, I'm a big girl. You don't need to stay with me."

"Sorry, but I'm biological predisposed to worry about my mother. You can't fight it. You may be better, but you're not good."

Rory sat up and looked intensely Lorelai, "You know what we need? I think we need to take a road trip together. You know, a mother/daughter flight from reality bonding expedition."

Lorelai rose up and turned over to give her daughter a look of puzzlement as she responded with a "What?"

"A Magical Mystery Tour, a Voyage of Discovery, you know, a road trip."

"You want to go on a road trip?"

"Yeah Mom, though it doesn't have to actually involve touring or voyaging or much traveling. I just thought it would be nice to get away, just you and me and, of course, Paul Anka."

"Where do you want to go, kid?"

"Well, it turns out that the Hayden Family Trust owns a place in the Pocono Mountains that it is for the exclusive use of the members of the Hayden family. Since I am officially a member of the Hayden family by birth, I am entitled to use this facility. You would be my guest."

"Christopher is lending us his cabin?"

"No, I asked the controller of the Hayden Family Trust if I could use the facility that is my birthright and he approved."

"Uh-ha, of course, Christopher is the controller, right?"

"Well, Mother dear, I do believe that the name of the controller is one Christopher Hayden."

"So Christopher is putting us up in a cabin in the mountains?"

"No, it's not like that, seriously. Dad's grandfather, who, I guess is my Great-Grandfather, built this cabin; well it's more like a lodge, up in the mountains. Great Grandfather Hayden use to stay up there all the time. You know, winter snow skiing and summer boating, that kind of stuff. Evidently it was a big deal to be invited by Great Grandpa Hayden to stay in the Lodge. No was allowed to come there without a formal invitation from him."

"Ever since Great Grandpa Hayden died, it is just going to waste because no one else in the family goes up there but Dad and he doesn't go up there very often because it such a hassle with GiGi. It's a long drive and she is still so little. But, he did upgrade the place to his own rigorous audio/video/internet accessible standards, which means it probably has a rocking system."

"Seriously Mom, are you really ready to go back to Star Hollow?" asked Rory meaningfully.

Lorelai processed everything Rory had just said. It was true that the thought of going back to Stars Hollow right now sent her in a near panic. She really was not ready to deal with the well-meaning busy bodies and, well, anything Luke related at the moment. Plus the thought of spending time with just her daughter sounded wonderful. She missed Rory so much.

Sighing, Lorelai spoke, "That sounds good, sweetie."

"So you're in?"

Lorelai smiled weakly, "Let's do it."

Christopher had been busy while Rory was off packing and Lorelai was resting. He had contacted the caretakers, Fred and Helen Finley, that there would be guest staying at the Lodge indefinitely. He had contacted his financial consultant and arranged for a credit card be issued in Rory's name against his account and he had withdrawn some cash that he planned to give to Rory for whatever. He had also found the time to run out and get a new coffee maker for the lodge.

He was doing all of this because he couldn't stand to see Lorelai in so much pain. Also, he secretly hoped that she as she got over her broken heart, she would see that he was no longer the reckless amigo of her youth but now he was a reliable responsible man. Someone who was always there for her.

(tbc)

* * *

**A/N - I'm sorry but I really felt that someone needed to kick Luke's ass for the way he has been treating Lorelai. Who better to do it than Luke himself (at least metaphorically). It made me giggle to think about it (yes, I do have a definite dark side to my sense of humor) but I think that he was "punished" enough, don't you? **

**Please Read and Review! (I have become a review junkie, who knew?)**

**BTW - Do you think I should submit my story line to Dave Rosenthal? It is just a thought...**


	5. Chapter 5 Selecting the Pieces

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Selecting the Pieces**

Lane knocked on the door to Luke's private apartment. They needed nickels and pennies for change in the diner and she knew that Luke kept some rolls in the safe.

It was the lull right before the dinner rush and no one had seen Luke all day. Lane, along with everyone else in Stars Hollow, knew that Lorelai and Luke had broken up. Lane figured that Luke was hiding up in his apartment hoping to avoid everyone.

Lorelai had left town on some sort of vacation according to Babette. No one knew exactly where she was except that she was with Rory and they had taken Paul Anka with them.

Lane knew a little more. Rory had called her. After Lane heard how upset Lorelai was, she got really pissed at Luke. No one, including Rory, was privy to exactly what had transpired between Lorelai and Luke but Lane had decided that it was Luke's fault.

She had seen how he had been treating Lorelai ever since April showed up; everyone in town had seen it. It made her heart break. Lorelai was so patient and supportive of Luke and he was just oblivious to how upsetting this was to her.

But what could she do, he was still her boss?

She knocked on Luke's apartment door but there was no answer. She knocked again louder and said, "Luke, Luke it's me, Lane. We need some change. Can I come in?"

There was still no response. She thought that maybe he had snuck out.

Lane tried the door handle. It wasn't locked. So she figured that she would just go in and get the money. She knew the combination to the safe. He had given it to both Caesar and her when he left town to help Liz and TJ at the Renaissance Fair a couple of years ago.

When Lane opened the door, the room was quiet. Lane called out again, "Luke?" but this time she heard a sort of moan. She followed the sound to the big leather chair and saw Luke setting in it looking half dead.

"Luke, Luke, are you alright?" she asked

Struggling for coherent thought, Luke opened his eyes (well one eye, the other was swollen shut) and looked curiously at Lane. He was trying to figure out why she was standing there with such a strange look on her face.

* * *

Rory's cell rang just as she was pulling out of the driveway. She had finally got everything packed. It had been a long day, starting with the call from her father in the morning. She had driven to Boston and had been confronted with the situation with Lorelai. After she agreed to take up Christopher's offer of the Hayden Lodge, Rory had a lot to do.

First she had driven back to New Haven and packed up all of belongings at Logan's apartment. Then she had driven to Stars Hollow where she was greeted by a very upset Paul Anka whom she had to calm down.

She had taken Paul Anka out for a walk when she first got home. Poor guy, he had been stuck in the house all by himself for over a day. She felt bad that he had been forgotten in the turmoil. She didn't even scold him when she discovered and cleaned up the "accidents" in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, just as she and Paul Anka were returning from their walk, Babette caught her. Rory employed all the evasive maneuvers that she had acquired over the years but to no avail. Babette already knew of the breakup.

Rory shared with Babette that she and Lorelai were taking a vacation, just the two of them (with Paul Anka, of course). Their itinerary was unscheduled, according to Rory, and they had not decided how long they would be gone. Rory promised that they would keep in touch.

Rory did not tell Babette anything else, like where Lorelai had spent the night last night.

Once Rory had broken free of Babette there was still a lot to do. She first had to unload all her stuff out of her car that she had brought from the apartment. Then she had to pack for Lorelai, Paul Anka, and herself. Since she didn't know how long they would be gone, she, of course, packed just about everything they owned in the way of shoes and clothes. Plus she selected about two dozen books for herself and a bunch of CD's and DVD's to afford a wide selection of entertainment. "Best be prepared!" she thought.

Now everything was loaded in her car, including Paul Anka. She was heading off for the last leg of her journey. She was driving back to Boston. Then her cell phone rang.

"Hello.'

"Rory it's Lane."

"Hey."

"Listen Rory, I know it's a bad time and everything but do you have a number for Jess?"

"Huh? Why do you need Jess's number? What's going on Lane?"

Taking a deep breathe, Lane replied, "It's Luke, he's not doing so good. I found him hiding in his apartment this evening and he'd been drinking. He's kind of a mess. I just thought if Jess could visit him, it might help. I guess I am a little worried about him."

"Oh no, poor Luke!" exclaimed Rory. "He's going to be all right, isn't he? I mean I know everything is a bad right now, with Mom and him, but she still loves him. I still love him!"

"Rory, I don't know. He's worrying me a little. He hurt his arm. Actually, I think he hurt it by punching a hole in his wall. Anyway, it looks really painful. Then I guess he slipped and fell and hurt his back. He also seems to have gotten a cut over his eye from somewhere. He's kind of looking right now, you know, like one of those boxers after a big fight."

"Anyway, I guess with all that plus the stuff with your Mom, he is really a seems bad. I know that he was drinking but I think he might have also been taking some stuff, you know like muscle relaxers or pain pills. That's really dumb to do, you know?"

"When I saw him this afternoon, he was just out of it. He just kept going on and on about how he misses Lorelai and how he needs her. It was kind of pathetic, sad, but pathetic."

"I got kind of afraid that he might do something stupid. Not on purpose, mind you, but because he is so miserable."

Rory did not like what she was hearing. It sounded like Luke was as in as bad of shape as her mom. "This is so stupid!" she thought, "They truly love each other. Why did they let all of this stuff get in their way?"

"Lane, you got a pen and paper handy, because I have a number for Jess? It's the bookstore where he works. Promise that you will keep me informed, okay. And when you call Jess, let him know that he can call me for any reason if he wants to, okay? Maybe he has some ideas how to fix this."

When Lane hung up with Rory, she immediately dialed the number to Jess.

* * *

Jess was shocked when he answered the phone and found Lane Kim of Stars Hollow on the other end. Lane, Rory's best friend, who never really liked him much, was calling.

Then Lane explained the reason for her call.

Jess immediately told her that he would be there as soon as possible. He told his partners that he had to leave and ran upstairs to his living quarters above the store and threw some clothes in a bag. He was on his way about 20 minutes after he hung up the phone.

On the drive to Stars Hollow, Jess had plenty of time to think. He thought about Luke. A couple of years ago he would have never believed that Luke would ever get the nerve to actually ask out Lorelai.

Oh sure, even seventeen year old Jess had recognized when he first came to Stars Hollow that there was this thing between Luke and Lorelai. Everyone knew it but those two. The air was full of electricity every time they were in the same room together. Jess just never thought that his uncle would have the balls to do anything about it.

Yet Luke had surprised him. Luke had asked Lorelai out and they finally saw what everyone had always known; that they were meant to be together. So what the hell had happened?

He knew he probably shouldn't call Rory but after everything Lane had told him he did anyway. If anyone knew what the hell had happened it would be Rory. He needed to know as much info as possible if he was going to help Lukesince he knew he would have a hard time getting much out of Luke directly if he went in there blind.

It was a good call, a little awkward at first given the circumstances of their last meeting. Neither Rory nor Jess touched on that subject.

They talked about Lorelai and Luke. Rory confided everything that she knew to Jess. It was a good talk. It helped both of them. They ended it with an agreement to keep in touch. Rory sincerely wanted to be kept informed of Luke's condition and Jess wanted to know how Lorelai was doing.

* * *

When Jess arrived in Stars Hollow, he immediately headed into the diner. He saw Lane and nodded. She indicated that he should just go on upstairs. He did.

He didn't knock but just walked into the apartment. It was quiet. Jess found Luke prostrate in bed.

On the bedside table was a prescription bottle (expired) for muscle relaxers and a couple of empty bottles of beer. Jess shook his head in frustration and annoyance before picking up all of the bottles and depositing them all in the trash. Then he took a seat on the sofa and waited.

A couple of hours later, Luke began to stir. The pain in his back had returned and it woke him. Luke's hand reached out to find the pill bottle but his hand came back empty. This forced Luke to actually open his eyes (well, eye since his left one was still swollen shut).

When he did, he was stunned to see his nephew calmly reading on the sofa.

Ever the stimulating conversationalist, Luke uttered "Hey!"

Jess responded in kind with his own "Hey!"

"What are you doing?" asked Luke incredulously.

"Reading" was Jess's response.

"Couldn't find anyplace in Philly to read that book?"

"Nah, it was too noisy. It's quieter here."

"Huh?" Luke took a deep breathe before he asked again, "Jess what are you doing here?"

"What I can't I come to visit my uncle if I want to?"

"You know you are welcome anytime, but why now?"

"I heard about you and Lorelai. Thought that you might need a friend."

"How did you…"

"I have my connections. Want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Fine."

As Luke attempted to sit up, a look of pained crossed his face. His back was really hurting him, along with his head and just about every other part of his body.

Pain tended to make Luke even more irritable and grumpy than normal. He looked over at Jess and said, "Did you do something with my pills?"

"Yep."

"Well, I need them. Get me my damn pills"

"Nope." With that comment, Jess put down his book and got up. He walked over to the kitchen area and got glass. He then opened the refrigerator and grabbed a carton of OJ and poured it into the glass.

Then he turned and opened a sack setting on the table. He took out a bottle of Advil along with a heating pad. He selected three tablets from the bottle and carried the pills, the heating pad, and the glass of juice over to Luke.

"Here."

With a definite look of irritation, Luke took the pills and drank the juice.

"How long has it been since you ate anything?"

Luke didn't reply except to look at Jess with more irritation.

Jess got up and started out the door saying, "I'll have Caesar make you something."

When Jess returned he found Luke up and walking. It was clear that Luke was in real pain and was having trouble even standing straight.

"Need some help there?"

"I can manage" Luke replied.

"Sure?"

"I've been able to go to the john by myself since I was three."

When Luke returned, he saw Jess standing next to the bed holding a tube of something. There was now a large towel covering the sheet. Luke looked at him enquiringly.

"Believe me," said Jess, "I find the thought of this as distasteful as you, but it will make your back feel better. Take off your shirt and lay down. I'll rub this crap on your back."

Luke looked at Jess like he was insane but then, with great resignation, slipped off his tee shirt and laid down on the towel.

Jess, unable to conceal his disgust at the idea of putting the liniment on his uncle, proceeded to give Luke a massage.

"If you ever tell anyone that I did this, I will kill you!" threatened Jess.

"Back at ya!" Luke mumbled

Luke was putting on his shirt again and Jess was washing the liniment from his hands when there was a knock at the door. Caesar had brought up a tray with food for both Luke and Jess. Jess took it from him.

Jess took a plate and bowl off the tray and put them on the table. He carried the tray with the remaining plate and bowl over to Luke. Luke was now lying back in bed on the heating pad. Jess placed the tray on his lap.

"What's this?" ask Luke.

"Dinner. Liz used to tell me that your mom would serve you tomato soup and a grilled cheese whenever you didn't feel good. So that's what I told Caesar to make."

Luke looked at his nephew warmly and said, "I haven't had this in years. Thanks."

They had finished eating and Jess had cleaned up. Luke was still in bed but he had to admit that his back felt better. Too bad his heart didn't.

He had turned on the TV, Lorelai's TV to try and watch the Red Sox game but he couldn't focus. His mind kept returning to Lorelai.

Suddenly Jess came over and turned off the TV. Luke barely even noticed.

"Luke, you need to talk about it?" asked Jess

"What?"

"You want to talk about Lorelai?"

"No."

"Okay, except if you ever want to get her back, you are going to have to figure out why she left."

"I know why she left."

"Okay, why?"

Luke looked so heartbroken that Jess was afraid he'd cry, "Because of April."

"What?" Jess responded incredulously. "No way. Lorelai Gilmore may be a lot of things, but she is not a hypocrite. She wouldn't care that you had a kid. Hell, she actually likes kids. That might have been a plus for you."

Luke sighed as he admitted, "Everything got so complicated after I found out about April. It was too much for her."

Jess looked at Luke with skepticism. "Complicated? Shocking, yes, maybe even scary but complicated? What's complicated? You find out you have a kid, so you and Lorelai get to know the kid. Simple."

Jess looked straight at Luke, "I mean April sought you out so obviously she already wanted to know you, right? And when you were in Philly, you and she looked like there was a real bonding thing going on. I mean, she seemed like she liked you and tolerated you and, okay, maybe she was a little embarrassed by you. But that's typical for 13 year olds. You know, she looked at you the way all teenage girls look at their dads."

Jess continued, "I'm sure that she went crazy over Lorelai because Lorelai acts like a 13 year girl half of the time. And, since April kind of reminded me of what Rory might have been like at that age, I bet Lorelai went crazy over her. So what's the problem?"

With his conscious obviously bothering him, Luke mumbled, "It was more complicated than that."

Jess was now getting a little irritated at Luke, "You know, you keep saying that but I don't get it. And I'm a pretty smart guy. So unless you explain these "complications", I am just going to assume that you did something really bad to mess up this relationship."

"There was Anna, April's mother." Luke stammered.

"Don't tell me you screwed around on Lorelai with your ex?"

"Oh God no! It's just that Anna never really wanted me in April's life. She was nervous that I'd mess it up and April would be hurt. I really needed to go carefully with April so that I didn't upset her or her mother. Anna is very protective of April."

With clear disdain in his voice, Jess responded with, "Protective? You mean possessive, don't you? 'Cuz this is the women that hid your kid from your for over twelve years! Of course _she_ didn't want you around but there wasn't much she could do about that once you found out? I mean, April is as much your kid as she is this Anna's. She can't stop you from being with your own kid."

Luke looked miserable when he said, "Anna doesn't really trust me around April. She never thought that I would be a good father."

"Has this women ever met you? I know you had sex with her but seriously, was it like a one time thing? Because anyone who has spent over 5 minutes with you would know that's bullshit. Sure you play the curmudgeon but no one really buys that act. They all know that you're the biggest softy around. Hell, even Kirk. He thinks you're his best friend and you threaten him like five times a day."

Jess was on a rant now. "Did you ever consider that Anna didn't tell you about April because she wanted to keep the kid all to herself? That maybe she didn't want to share? Why else would she have not told April anything about you? "

"Do you really believe April never asked Anna about her father? I'd bet money that she asked but Anna brushed her off. I mean, the kid had to perform her own DNA test tofind you! And April did this without Anna having a clue what she was doing. How protective could she be if she lets the kid roam all over Connecticut by herself gathering samples from prospective fathers? "

"Get a clue, Luke, this bitch is playing you. She can't completely ignore your existence any longer since April found you on her own but she sure as hell seems to be doing everything to keep control of you. She didn't even want April to know Lorelai, the women that was going to be April's step mother."

With a conscience-stricken look across his face, Luke mumbled, "It wasn't Anna that kept Lorelai away from April, it was me."

"What? Why would you do that? I thought Anna told Lorelai to…"

"Because I thought as soon as April met Lorelai, she wouldn't even notice me. She's my kid and I wanted her to get to know me first, to, you know, bond with me. I know when Lorelai is around I just sort of fade in the background. Normally that's not a problem. Actually, I kind of like it. I'm not a "people person" so I'm more comfortable not being the center of attention and I love watching Lorelai shine. I was just afraid that April wouldn't ever want to get to know me with Lorelai around."

"Jeez man, insecure much? Don't you realize that Lorelai brings out the best in you? You're more, I don't know, pleasant around her. Lorelai is your best asset for being able to understand a teenage girl. Let's face it; you're pretty clueless when it comes to girls, especially the teenage variety. Lorelai could have helped you with that. You probably would have bonded with April a lot sooner with her help."

Humbly Luke responded, "I know that now. I threw this birthday party for April. I thought I knew what I was doing but it was a total failure! Lorelai tried to warn me, but, you know, I can be kind of pig headed and I just shut her down. Then, in the middle of this disastrous party, I panicked and called Lorelai to save it. And she did, it was magical. In like 5 minutes, she turned this party from a bust to a major success. And you know what? April hugged and thanked me, like I responsible for it!"

Jess began pacing across the room. After a minute, he stopped and looked at Luke. "So basically you're saying that for the past what six or seven months you have had this whole separate life with April that Lorelai wasn't allowed to be a part of, right? "

"No, it wasn't like that. I mean once Lorelai found out about April I didn't keep anything from her. I talked about April to her and told her everything. I wasn't hiding. I just wanted time alone with my daughter."

Jess looked at Luke like he was dense. "Where did you spend all this time with April?'

"Usually she came to the diner. She would do her homework and I would fix her dinner. Sometimes she would help around the diner or just play some board games. If I had time I would play them with her.

Sensing that the conversation was finally leading somewhere important, Jess asked, "And who played with her when you were busy?"

"Oh, sometimes Lane or even Caesar, I know that Patty and Babette played with her a couple of times. You know, whoever was in the diner at the time."

Jess began shaking his head in disbelief. "So, I guess everyone in Stars Hollow was able to met and talk with April except Lorelai. What did you do ban her from the diner while April was there? Make her hid and sneak around the town so April wouldn't accidentally run into her? And Lorelai was okay with this?"

Luke replied meekly, "Well, she never said that it bothered her." As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew how lame it all sounded.

"So let me get this straight. First, you hide the fact that you had a kid from Lorelai for, what, two months? In fact, _you_ never actually did tell her, did you? You just let her walk into the diner and run into April. But she forgave you and doesn't dump you, right?"

Sheepishly, Luke said," Yeah, that's what happened, but how do you know all this?"

Jess merely waved him off and continued, "I told you I have my sources. So after you basically let the women that you love get totally blindsided by this news, she doesn't leave you. In fact, she offers to cancel the wedding because you say that you are too overwhelmed, right? The wedding of her dreams but she gives it up to help you."

"It wasn't cancelled, it was merely postponed."

"Did you set a new date? No, you postponed it indefinitely, so in my book, you cancelled it."

Luke merely said "I didn't mean it that way."

"So, Lorelai basically turns her whole life around and does everything in her power to support you and you reward her by neglecting her so you can spend time alone with April. Except you're not alone. Every freaking loon in this town can hang with you and your kid except your fiancée."

Jess decided to sum up his rant with, "You tell Lorelai that she has to go hide because you don't want her near your daughter. Gee, I bet that was real ego boost for her. Then you just ignore her pain and humiliation for the next 5 or 6 months because you're what, confused or it's complicated? Wow, with all that love and support, I can't image why she's gone?"

Luke just hung his head.

The past few months started replaying in his mind. He began reliving all of the conversations he had with Lorelai, but this time he was looking at it from Lorelai's perspective. What he saw made him feel sick and disgusted with his self. He couldn't believe how totally oblivious he had been. All he had thought about was how it affected him and April. He never considered Lorelai's feelings.

"She never said anything." he thought to his self. "She just did what ever I asked of her. Why would she hide all that from me? She should have told me."

Then he realized that she did tell him, over and over again. He just didn't see it.

Suddenly he realized what she had been telling for months but he wasn't paying attention. It was there every time he would inform her when April was coming for a visit. It was on her face. She was the epitome of pure sadness and pain. He had just chosen to ignore its message.

"Oh god!" he thought, "I put that look there."

* * *

Lorelai and Rory had been crashing at the Lodge for almost three weeks. The place was everything that Christopher had said and more. It was beautiful and peaceful and only 30 minutes from an amazing Outlet Mall. Plus there were at least 25 day spas in the area!

The girls had been massaged, wrapped, sunk in mud and exfoliated numerous times. They had partaken of several "mani/pedi/facials" days (both of the girl's toenails were currently emblazoned with sparkling pink glitter nail polish). They had shopped 'til they dropped and their purchases threaten to overwhelm the car space capacity for when they returned to Stars Hollow.

There had also been a lot of time spent just talking. One most momentous talk had occurred about a week and a half ago after a "Godfather" marathon. Lorelai and Rory began seriously talking about their own mother/daughter relationship. They managed to clear the air of some misunderstandings. The conversation was at times painful but honest and the girls ended up closer than ever. It had been cathartic for both of them.

Rory felt more at peace and focused than she had in a long time. She even had a clearer picture of her relationship Logan. Though she still loved him, she did acknowledge her mother's misgivings about it were valid. Logan's year is England would be hard for both of them but it also gave her some space to really think about the future. Somehow this had empowered her with a sense of control that she realized had been missing for some time.

Lorelai had also seemed more relaxed after they had their talk, at least temporarily. Though she was still mourning the loss of Luke, she had shown more of the old Lorelai sparkle for awhile. Now it seemed to have receded again. Rory was worried about that.

There was something else going on with her mother and Rory decided that it was time to get Lorelai to talk about it.


	6. Chapter 6 Gathering the Pieces

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Gathering the Pieces**

They were just about to pull up to the entrance to the Lodge. Chris and GiGi were coming to spend the weekend with the Gilmore girls.

Lorelai and Rory had been staying at the Lodge for almost three weeks. This was the third visit that they had made.

Chris tried to convince himself that he was just doing this only out of friendship but he knew better. He was coming to see her and be with her. He still loved Lorelai.

But, right now, she needed him only as a friend.

Lorelai would be happy to see him he knew. He made her laugh. They had a rhythm together that was comfortable and comforting. She needed that right now. That was enough for him today.

There was always tomorrow.

* * *

Lorelai and Rory had returned from shopping. They had spent the morning at a Flea Market and had come home with what they felt were treasures. They both felt giddy from their successful foray into the world of bargain shopping.

Lorelai had spent nearly 35 minutes haggling for a rhinestone flower hat pin that the dealer had been trying to sell for $50.00. She had used all of her talents of persuasion and charm to successfully beat him down to $25.00.

Then she spent another 20 minutes beating him down on the price of an Art Nouveau porcelain hat pin holder that he was asking $55.00. Lorelai paid $30.00 for it.

Rory tried to point out to her the absurdity of purchasing a hat pin, "Mom you don't need a hat pin because you rarely wear hats and the ones you do wear, don't require pins."

"Of course I do," responded Lorelai, "it's sparkly."

"But then you had to spend an additional $30.00 to buy the hat pin holder to hold your hat pin."

"Right."

"If you hadn't bought the hat pin which you didn't need, you wouldn't have had to buy the hat pin holder." reasoned Rory.

"Yes and your point is?"

"I have no idea."

Rory had found what she suspected was a rare volume of the 1888 edition of "_Romances, Lyrics & Sonnets"_ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The seller was asking $50.00 but she got him to drop the price to $39.00. Her haggling skills were not in the same league as her mother's but she was pleased.

The Gilmore girls had just returned to the Lodge and were getting out of the car as Chris and GiGi pulled up. GiGi squealed in delight when she saw "Aunt Lorelai" and Rory. Hugs were given all around. Everyone was up for a light-hearted, fun weekend.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ 

Rory was almost always happy to see her father but his frequent trips to visit them since they had arrived at the Lodge were becoming increasingly worrisome for her. She suspected that he was using her mother's present vulnerability to try to entrench himself into her life in a more personal way. That felt wrong to Rory.

Rory could remember when the present scenario would have been a fantasy comes true; the image of her mother and father together would have seemed perfect. But that was when she was young and innocent and stories always ended with "and they lived happily ever after". She wasn't so young and innocent anymore.

There was a lot pain connected to Rory's relationship with Christopher, pain that she had only begun to really explore and analyze in the past year. For so much of her life, he had been this witty charming man that momentarilywould come into her life spreading happiness and love. Then he would leave and she would hurt.

She had never been a priority in his life. No matter how pretty or good or smart or charming she was, it was never enough to make him want stay with her. He always had to leave to be somewhere else. Someone or some other place had always drawn him away from his first born child.

But in the past few years, he had changed. He had settled down and was really trying to be a responsible parent for GiGi. And he was trying really hard to find a place in Rory's life.

She appreciated his effort and his support. She just didn't trust him, especially where her mother was concern.

Lorelai was so susceptible right now. Only Rory had been witness to her tirades about how she had failed Luke. Lorelai's self esteem was at an all time low. To the casual observer they saw a women that seemed confident and assured but Rory knew that Lorelai felt anything but that.

The problem was that around Christopher she was more confident and assured. He was kind and attentive and looked to Lorelai as a mentor and advisor which was all very appealing for her in her current state of mind.

Rory could see how Christopher was attempting to transform himself into the conception of what he thought Lorelai wanted him to be. He was trying to shape his way of living according to her values and agenda.

That was so wrong at so many levels.

The last thing that either her mother or father needed right now was a Pygmalion type of relationship. It would be neither healthy nor satisfying. The outcome of such a bond would bring only disappointment and frustration and pain to both of them.

* * *

It was Sunday afternoon, just after Chris and GiGi had left to return to Boston. Both Lorelai and Rory were lounging outside on the deck of the Lodge enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Rory turned to her mother and asked, "Can we talk seriously about you and Dad?"

Lorelai was startled by the randomness of the question but responded with, "Of course hon, you know you can talk to me about anything."

"How exactly would you define your relationship with Dad?"

"Boy, are you sounding like a reporter or maybe more like a therapist? I guess that fancy Yale education is kicking in or does this question stem from your two month foray into the world of psychological therapy?"

"Neither, it comes from the heart of your daughter that loves you."

"Wow, okay you want to know how I define my relationship with Christopher? I don't know, we're friends and we share a special bond because of you, our gifted and beautiful daughter. It is what it has always been."

"I'm serious Mom. Do you think you could be happy with Dad, I mean romantically?"

Lorelai was silent for several seconds. Then she took a deep breathe and let it out slowly before she responded. "Oh Rory, I will always love your father you know that, but I am not in love with him. I know that it would make for a nice neat little package to have your mother and father finally together even though it took 21 years to happen, but I can't do that babe, not even for you. I have only truly loved one man in my life, that real adult scary no holes barred type of love. I may have screwed everything up with Luke but he is still the only one for me. I just don't feel the same way about your dad."

"Good."

"Good? I'm confused? You don't want me to be with your father?"

"No, I don't. I guess it probably sounds weird but I really don't think that you are good for each other that way.

" I don't get it, so why the question then?"

"I don't know. Dad has been bringing GiGi here to stay with us every weekend and it seems to make you really happy. I guess I thought that there might be something starting between you two."

Lorelai stared off into the distance. She had such a heart-rending look of sadness about her. When she spoke, it was quiet and unaffected, "I know that Christopher is hoping that time will change what I feel. He's playing the role of the ever-faithful friend hoping to be my knight in shining armor and I know that it's probably wrong of me to let him. It's just that it feels so good to be needed by someone right now. But you're right; I'm not being fair to Christopher."

"Mom, I'm not criticizing you! I'm just trying to understand what's in your head _and_ your heart. I just want you to be happy."

"Oh kid, if _I_ could only understand what goes on in my head! It's like a carnival house of mirrors in here. I keep seeing what I think is the right path and then I end up smacking into my own reflection. I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go."

Lorelai then turned and looked intensely into her daughter's eyes. "But what's in my heart, that I am sure about."

Rory got up and came over to give Lorelai a hug. As she squeezed her mom tightly, Rory softly said, "You know things are not as bad as you might think. He still loves you."

Lorelai smiled stiffly and looked off into the distance. A single tear rolled down her check as she bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. "I tried to be there for him, I wanted to be supportive. It's just that I got tied up in my own thoughts. I don't know; I just got so scared."

Lorelai then looked down and began picking at the polish on her fingernails, "I finally knew what I wanted you know; no questions no uncertainty. I'd never felt that way about anyone before. I just got so afraid that he wasn't in the same place and it turns out that he wasn't."

Lorelai raised her head up to look into her daughters clear blue eyes before she confessed, "I just wanted the whole package. I really wanted it. I could see it, smell it, and almost touch it. It was there, right there but I couldn't reach it. I guess I'm just not destined to get it, you know, it's just not in the cards for me."

Another tear trickled down Lorelai's check as she turned away from Rory. "It's not fair." she thought, "I finally find love but it's not enough."

Rory, touched her mother gently on the shoulder and said, "You know, I think you're wrong. I think he was right there with you all along."

Lorelai pulled away from Rory and stood up with her fists clenched with anger. Rory watched as her mother began to tremble. With a ragged breathe, Lorelai began, "No he wasn't. Maybe he had been but he had moved away. Would he have come back, I don't think so but it doesn't matter anymore? Don't you get it Rory, it is too late? I screwed it up big time. I freaked out and pushed him to elope. But he couldn't bring himself to do it, he needed more time with April. I try to make him choose between us but it was really no choice. She's his daughter! I'm just a complication that can screw it all up for him."

The tears began streaming down her face as Lorelai turned to run away but Rory was faster. She caught Lorelai in a strong hug and held her. Lorelai began crying hard.

Tenderly, like soothing a small child, Rory held her mother in a warm embrace trying to calm and comfort her.

"Mom, you are wrong. He is just as miserable as you. It is not too late because you and Luke can fix this. All of this happened because you two are just so damn independent and refuse to really talk to each other. I swear, you and Luke are just alike, you are two stubborn turtles!"

Lorelai couldn't help but snicker through her tears at Rory's accusation that she and Luke are turtles. It was so random, such an out of the blue analogy that she had to ask "I'm a turtle?"

"You and Luke both are turtles, independent turtles! Whenever you get scared, you both have that automatic response to pull within your own shells. Both of you have spent your entire lives struggling to make it work without anyone else to help you. You have done this so long that neither of you know how to accept help. Whenever anyone tries, it is like poking a snapping turtle with a stick. You end up trying to bit off a finger!"

Lorelai pulled away to look into Rory's face as she said "I have never tried to bite off your finger!"

"Mom the turtle is an analogy; we are talking metaphoric fingers here."

"So you're saying that both Luke and I have some serious trust issues, that we didn't trust each other? Well, that doesn't say anything good about our relationship does it? I mean if we couldn't trust each other then we were doomed. All of this was inevitable."

"No Mom, I **do** think you and Luke trust each other but you don't know how to show it. As soon as something bad or scary or just unknown happens to either of you, your first response is to pull within your shells. This is like a self-defense response that the both of you do without thinking. But it isn't some instinctual response, I think it is more of a learned behavior. You both need to unlearn and quit doing it!"

"What if we can't?"

"If it is important enough, you can and will. The first step is recognizing what you are doing. That doesn't mean either of you will just change overnight but you can change. You just have to work at it."

"You know Mom, when Luke found out about April, he pulled into his shell. He felt that he had to handle it all by himself which was wrong. But you let him stay in there!"

"Rory, he needed space. I gave him space. I was being supportive."

"Mom, he may have thought he needed space but he didn't. Remember, he's a turtle, he couldn't see much from within that shell. You needed to poke him, make him come out. You needed to talk to him, make him talk to you. All of this confusion is as much your fault as his because you never told him he was handling it wrong."

"He never meant to hurt you or make you feel unimportant. He thought he was doing the right thing, that he was handling everything correctly. He couldn't see what was really going on because remember, turtle in shell? His view was obstructed."

The realization of the truth of what Rory said was just beginning to dawn on Lorelai. Maybe if she had talked more openly with Luke and made him talk to her, things would not have become such a mess. That maybe pulling back and giving him space to deal with everything on his own was the wrong way to handle it. That maybe her biggest mistake back then was not talking to him about what she was feeling, but that was then. Now everything was so much more complicated.

There are things in life that can't be mended. Sometimes pieces are missing or just too broken to fit together; that all of the King's horses and all of the King's men can not put Humpty back together again. Lorelai was scared that this was one of those times.

It was all more complicated than Rory knew, than anyone knew. Lorelai had a secret, a secret that she needed to share. But she was terrified that when she did, it would make everything so much worse than she could imagine.

* * *

Jess had packed up his things and left earlier in the morning to go back to Philly. He had stayed in Stars Hollow for the past couple of days. He had taken care of Luke and even helped out in the diner. It was a good visit.

Luke was a lot better. Physically, he was healing. His back was much better, the swelling in his eye was almost gone (though he still had a big shiner), and his arm was sore and weak but functional. All in all, he was physically okay, not great but okay.

Emotionally he still had a ways to go but he was better there also, a lot better. It wasn't as if he and Jess had talked about it anymore, because they hadn't. But just having Jess stay there with him, knowing that he cared had helped Luke a lot.

Luke had spent the days since Jess arrived thinking about everything. He kept reliving every stupid action that he had taken since April's arrival in his life. He saw all of the wrong decisions he had made and now saw how they had affected Lorelai. He would do anything if he could change it but he was scared that it was too late.

Lorelai was gone. He hadn't seen her or talked to her since last Friday. He didn't know when or if he would ever see her again. It wouldn't surprise him if she never came back because of him. And the thought of never seeing her again was driving him crazy.

As he physically healed, Luke had become restless. He needed to do something; fix this somehow, but how? He had no idea where Lorelai was. She wasn't answering her cell phone, at least not when he called. He had even considered a plan in which he would break into Sookie's house and call Lorelai from there. Luke figured that she might be screening her calls but if she thought the call was from Sookie, she would answer.

He had tossed that plan aside realizing that it was childish and underhanded. No, he needed to be patient and wait until she was ready to talk with him, it ever. Until then, there was nothing he could do

But there was something he could deal with now. He had called Anna and talked with her. The talk had not gone well

He had tried to calm her down and begged her to let him see April again. She had relented but very reluctantly. He had to promise that he would be more careful who he let April come in contact with.

He swore to Anna that Lorelai would not be around April (that was hardly a problem since he was sure he wouldn't be seeing her soon). The whole conversation had been extremely distasteful for him. But it had opened his eyes.

Anna was trying to control him just as Jess had indicated. Did really he want to spend the rest of his life (or at least until April was grown and on her own) being dictated to by Anna?

The answer was obvious. He was going to have to take care of this.

Luke called Martin Friedman, the attorney that had handled his divorce and explained the situation. He had an appointment at 2:00 PM this afternoon.

Martin Friedman was an attorney in Hartford who specialized in Family Law. He dealt with divorces and child custody cases. The case of Luke Danes vs. Anna Nardini was definitely an unusual case.

Luke had explained the situation very clearly. He had provided Martin with detail and concise documentation. The documentation consisted of the copy of the science fare DNA test, copies of all of the cancelled checks that Luke had written to Anna for child support including the initial large payment that was restitution for the first twelve years and monthly checks since, and he had a record of all of the dates of his visits with April. Luke was nothing if not methodical in his record keeping.

Martin was duly impressed. He shared that though the science fair DNA test was impressive, it would have no legal standing in a court of law. Luke and April would both have to submit to a second and legally valid DNA test. But once this test proved that Luke was in fact April's father and given the evidence of Luke's active participation in April's life, Martin felt that any attorney would advise Anna to agree to Luke's very reasonable demands.

Of course, it was best to proceed cautiously. Sometimes mother or fathers did not behave reasonably when it came to custody. No matter how strong the case, things could always get ugly.

Martin suggested the following. First they obtain a court order requiring a new DNA test to be perform at a court recognize laboratory, preferable where none of Anna's relatives were employed. Second, he wanted to obtain a court order restraining Anna from taking April outside of the county without the written permission of Luke until the outcome of the DNA test was certified. Third, he wanted to file on Luke's behave for joint custody.

Luke was taken back by the aggressive nature of all of the filings especially in the restraining order. Martin assured him that these were standard in cases such as this.

He told Luke to return on Friday and all of the paper work should be in order. He also advised Luke not to say anything about this to anyone, especially Anna until the orders were filed with the court.

Early Friday afternoon, Luke was once again in Martin Friedman's office. There he was given copies of the court order for a DNA test to be performed within the next 10 days, of the restraining order, and of the request for joint custody. A court date had been set for 3 weeks from today at 3:00 PM but both men hoped that everything would be settled out of court before that date.

Luke had decided to go to Anna that afternoon and personally give her copies all of the court orders before she was officially served. He figured this was better than having her blindsided.

Anna was surprised to see Luke. The store was empty of customers and she had been doing some paper work. He asked if they could talk, privately.

Though school was out for the day, April was over a friend's house, so Anna agreed.

Luke began hesitatingly, "Anna, you are a wonderful mother and you have done a great job raising April. She is so pretty and smart and polite and funny and, well, perfect."

"It is just that I am her father. I have as much right to spend time with her as you do. I can't have you micromanaging my relationship with April. Not anymore."

"I am not trying to put myself forward as the perfect parent, because we both know I don't really know what I am doing. But I love her. I love her completely and I would never intentionally do anything or let anything bad happen to her."

"I had hoped that we could work together and not have to, you know, get lawyers involved because lawyers are just bottom suckers and would complicate things. But now I realize that it's not going work that way. I can't have you threatening to cut me off from April if I don't follow your dictates exactly."

"And I can't allow you to force me to keep Lorelai away from April. She is my fiancée and my best friend. If I was just casually seeing Lorelai, then yes, I would agree that April doesn't need to know her or spend anytime with her. But this is not casual; I fully expect to spend the rest of my life with her."

"I have seen my lawyer and he thinks I have a solid case. First there will have to a legally authenticated DNA test, here is the order requiring it be performed within the next 10 days. I have scheduled the test for next Tuesday at 4:00PM. I will take April if you don't want to."

"Here is an order for Joint Custody. I am not trying to take April from you. She will still live with you as always. I mean she has always lived with you and I am not trying to change that. This is her home, where her school is and where her friends are. All that this document is saying is that I am her father and I have the right to know what is going on in her life and be involved in decisions that concern her. And so you can't stop me from seeing her."

Anna looked at Luke in shock. If he thought that he was going to get away with this, he had another thing coming. April was _her_ daughter; he was only the sperm donor. She had carried this child for nine months and had raised her without his help for over twelve years. He couldn't come in and do this now. She would stop him any way that she could.

"Luke, I don't know what you think you are doing but I am not letting you step in and pretend that you are a fit parent. You're not getting my kid. Why are you even doing this, you don't even like kids. You haven't been there for April. You have no idea what means to be a real parent."

"This is not going to happen, do you understand me Luke Danes. I will leave and take April with me where you can't find us before I will let this happen."

Luke let out a frustrated sigh before he replied. "My attorney warned me that you might respond like that. So here is a third document filed with the court. It states that you cannot take April out of the county without my written permission. If you do so, you will be in violation of a court order and subject to arrest."

"I don't need to leave the country, state, or county. April is thirteen now and old enough to testify. I am sure that after I talk to April, she will never want to see you again. She won't like that you filed all of the legal attacks against me. Once she tells the court that she never wants to see you again, they will listen."

"Anna, please do not put April in the middle of this. It should just be between you and me. I am not attacking you. I am just trying to establish by legal position as her father. That's all."

Neither Luke nor Anna had noticed that someone had entered the store through the backdoor. April had come in just after Luke had asked to speak to Anna privately. She had hidden in the back of the store behind one of the displays and pointedly listened to her parent's conversation.

"Stop!" yelled April. "Mom, what are you saying?"

"What? Oh my god, April honey, it's not how it sounded."

"I can't believe you Mom. What are you doing? Luke is my dad, I love him. You are not keeping me from seeing him."

Then April turned to Luke and said, "So we have to undergo another DNA test on Tuesday. That's cool. Not surprising though, it makes sense that a court would need an unbiased test. So you are want joint custody? What does that mean?"

Luke responded, "April it is just a legal formality to state that I am your father. It won't change anything between you and your mother or between you and me. You will still live with your mother just like always. But with this custody agreement, no one can prevent you and me from spending time together."

"That makes sense." April replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Mom," April asked Anna, "did you tell Luke that Lorelai couldn't be around me?"

"April honey, you don't understand. I don't want you to get attached to people and then have them disappear from your life. I mean Luke and Lorelai aren't married yet so who knows if they ever will. I'm just trying to protect you."

"Well that's just dumb, Mom. There have been plenty of people that I knew that moved away. It was sad but I survived. Remember Jenna Prescott who was my best friend in third grade? Her family moved to France and I never saw her again. How about Bailey Simpson in first grade, her family moved to New York? Sure I was sad but I got over it."

"So Dad, should I just come to the diner at 3:00PM on Tuesday or will you pick me up?"

* * *

Luke was feeling good when he finally left Anna's store. Sure Anna was still a little angry at him but she would calm down. He knew her strong mothering instincts would prevent her from fighting him for custody. She would never do anything to consciously hurt April.

Luke was feeling a tinge of guilt for misleading Anna regarding the actual status of Lorelai's and his relationship but it wasn't any of her business. Besides, he fully intended to win Lorelai back, even if he had to grovel.

As far as he was concerned, he was going to marry Lorelai Gilmore and have lobster at the wedding, the sooner the better.


	7. Chapter 7 Putting It Back Together

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Putting It Back Together**

It was Tuesday morning and Rory was drinking her coffee out on the deck watching a couple of deer chomp away on an azalea. It was peaceful. She enjoyed lazy mornings like this where she had the time to peruse the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the USA Today.

Her mother tended to sleep in. Actually, Lorelai was sleeping a lot lately but that was probably a symptom of her state of mind. Excessive sleeping was a classic sign of depression.

Other than the marathon sleeping and a tendency to be a little more emotional, Lorelai was getting better, stronger. Rory felt that maybe it was time they returned home, back to Stars Hollow.

Around 11:30 AM, Rory decided that her mother had slept long enough. So she headed up to her mother's room and walked in to wake her up. Lorelai wasn't in bed.

From her mother's bathroom, Rory heard sounds of retching.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­The mail had just been delivered to the diner and Luke was sorting through it. Among all of the junk mail, advertisements, and normal bills was a letter from his lawyer. "Oh joy, another $150.00 charged to my account." Luke calculated to himself as he opened the envelope from Kincaid and Friedman. 

This was the third letter from his lawyer this week. The first had arrived on Tuesday confirming the results of the DNA testing. Surprise, they had found that he was April's father.

Of course, the laboratory that had performed the test had already sent him the official results which he received on the previous Saturday stating that it was a 99.9 percent probability that he was that father of April Nardini. Luke had paid extra so the results would be ready within 72 hours after the test. Normally, it would have been 8 to 10 days but with the court date quickly approaching, Luke wanted the test results as soon as possible.

The second letter had arrived on Wednesday stating that all pertinent information including the results from the DNA test had been sent to Ms. Anna Nardini's attorney.

Now it was Friday and the third letter. This one stated that Ms. Nardini's attorney had requested a conference regarding Danes vs. Nardini for the following Tuesday at 2:00PM. His attorney wanted to meet with him at 1:00PM on Tuesday to prepare for the conference.

This means that Luke will come face to face with Anna for the first time since the DNA test. Anna had brought April to the laboratory for the test which was a good thing. Evidently it's best if the lab has a sample of the mother's DNA along with the father's and the child's. He wondered if Anna had received a letter stating that it was a 99.9 percent probability that she was April's mother.

Luke figured this was a good sign if her attorney wanted to meet before the court date. Hopefully, they could work out all of the arrangements privately without having to parade their personal business in open court.

Tuesday about a quarter after twelve, Luke was upstairs in his apartment getting ready for the meeting with Anna and the attorneys. He had showered (again) and shaved. Now he was dressing in his charcoal gray suit with his white, silk blend shirt with the French cuffs, and his "power blue" tie (as Lorelai called it). As he dressed, it dawn on him all of the clothing he was wearing (except for his boxers and tee) had been picked out by Lorelai. God he missed her.

He had to admit that he was nervous. He really hoped that Anna would be reasonable but he was afraid that she wouldn't. Why did every thing have to be so complicated?

When he arrived at the offices of Kincaid and Friedman, it was 12:55 PM. Luke hated to be late. Lorelai was always late and she made him late which always annoyed him. Today he wouldn't have minded so much being a little late if it meant that Lorelai was with him.

After going over for the umpteenth time the conditions that he was requesting, Martin Friedman had informed Luke that based on the current Connecticut child support calculation table, he was over paying by $13.50 per month on his support payments. Luke told Martin that he didn't care, the amount he was paying was reasonable. After all, it was for his kid. April could blow the extra $13.50 on a pizza for all he cared.

When Anna and her attorney, a Ms. Sullivan, arrived, both of the women looked him over suggestively. Lorelai always told him that he looked hot when he wore a suit (and then she would either pinch his butt or make some lewd remark). He was secretly flattered that Lorelai liked him in a suit. He wasn't flattered at all by the looks that Anna and her attorney gave him. Instead, it made him even more nervous.

It occurred to Luke that Anna had never seen him dressed up in a suit before. Even so, he wasn't really comfortable with the way that she kept looking at him.

The conference between all of the parties of Danes vs. Nardini went fairly smooth. Anna had once again raised her objection to April being introduced to transient people from Luke's life (transient meaning Lorelai). "Boy," Luke thought, "she sure has a bug up her ass about April spending time with Lorelai."

Luke's attorney had quickly rejected any attempt to include any sort of stipulation in the custody agreement that would restrict Luke from introducing April to whomever he chose. As he stated, Luke was a mature and responsible parent who should be allowed the same freedom as Anna had to determine with whom April could spend time. The matter was dropped.

Anna stipulated that she did not want to continue to receive the child support. She didn't need it and didn't want it. Luke's attorney replied that child support payments were the purview of the child and thus the custodial parent did not have the right of refusal.

A compromise was finally reached where all of the child support payments, including all those already paid, would be put into a Connecticut Higher Education Trust (a.k.a. CHET or a 529 College Savings Plan) to be jointly administered by Anna and Luke. Luke was very pleased with this stipulation.

April had already indicated that she would like to attend MIT. Luke figured that MIT probably cost about the same as Yale. Lorelai had told him that Yale cost over $40,000.00 each year with tuition, room and board, and books (how the hell could one text book cost $175.00, Luke wondered). By the time April was ready for college, he figured it would cost at least $50,000.00. Investing the child support into a trust fund to pay for college would really help.

With the discussion of a few minor details they had an agreement. Anna was to send Luke certain vital information regarding April, such as her social security number, her doctors' name and numbers and a medical history. Luke's attorney would take care of having April's birth certificate amended to show Luke as the father. Anna would be responsible for updating the school and doctor's records to indicate that Luke was April's father and equally responsible for her.

All that was left was to have the judge sign off on the agreement and for it to be officially entered into the records.

* * *

Rory had helped Lorelai back to bed after her nausea had subsided. She had gotten her mother a glass of water and a cold cloth for her head. Lorelai looked really pale and miserable. 

"Mom, do you think it was the shrimp from last night, because I ate it too?"

"No, I don't think it's the shrimp."

"Do you think you have a fever, because I didn't bring the thermometer?"

"No, I don't have a fever."

Rory looked closely at her mother. The expression on her face was hard to read. Was she sick or scared? To Rory, Lorelai looked kind of freaked out.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Lorelai turned onto her side and looked at her daughter with apprehension in her eyes before she spoke. "I think I'm pregnant."

Rory's eyes widen in disbelief before a big smile spread across her face. She grabbed her mother and gave her a big hug. "Mom really? I mean are you sure?"

Lorelai close her eyes for a moment before she said, "No, not sure but all signs lead that way. I haven't taken a test or anything."

"Well, we need to get you a test." With that Rory started to head out of the door, "I'll be back in 30 minutes or so.Are yougoing to be alright?"

Lorelai smiled a somewhat weak smile as she replied with a simple nod of the head to indicate yes.

* * *

Nearly two hours later, Rory and Lorelai were sitting down in the living room of the lodge. 

"Mom, let's talk about this. This is good, right? I know the timing might be a little off but you and Luke are going to have a baby. This _is_ a good thing; no it's a terrific thing. This baby will bring you two back together."

"Oh hon, I don't know. With everything that has happened this might be too much for him. I mean he was so freaked when he found out about April. And now we aren't together. I just don't know how he will take it."

"Mom, you're crazy. He'll be thrilled. He told you that he wanted kids. He loves you and he'll want to get married right away. Everything will be as it should be."

"Yeah, I guess." Lorelai said sounding unconvinced.

"So, we need to go back and you need to talk with Luke."

"Yes," Lorelai reluctantly agreed, "it's time to go back home."

Rory left the room for a minute and came back with a pad and pen. "Okay, here's the plan. I think we need to do a little more shopping before we go back. Maybe hit the Outlet Mall one more time for some maternity clothes. Then we drive back to Stars Hollow on Thursday. That evening, you can invite Luke over and then you can tell him. I'll be there with you if you want me to but I kind of think this is something you need to tell him yourself."

Lorelai sighed as she said, "Sure, I guess we have a plan."

"Okay, let's make a list of what you'll need which of course will be overshadowed by what you want. Oh, this is so exciting, Mom!"

* * *

Luke got the phone call from his attorney about 1:30 PM on Thursday that the judge had officially signed off on the custody agreement. It was now filed with clerk of records. The court appearance that had been set for tomorrow at 3:00 PM was now officially dismissed. 

"Wow!" he thought, "I'm now legally and officially April's father. I can't believe it's done."

Luke felt this tremendous weight lift from his chest. He felt kind of giddy. He really wanted to share this news with someone, well actually only one someone, Lorelai. But he didn't know where she was.

So, without Lorelai to share it with, he just resigned himself not to say anything to anybody. Maybe he and April could have a little celebration tomorrow night. He would call her and see if she wanted to do something special.

Luke went back to wiping the counter for the umpteenth time today. His mind wandered back again to the night that Lorelai had left. If he had just reacted a little quicker when she walked out he could have stopped her. They would have talked it all out that night and she would be here right now. "Please Lorelai," Luke prayed to no one particularly, "please come back."

Just then something caught his eye outside on the street. It looked like a Jeep, her Jeep and yes, SHE was in.

Lorelai had come back. Luke could not be more thrilled or more scared.

* * *

Lorelai was trying to figure out what she was feeling now that they were home. If only my life was as simple as Paul Anka's. 

His feelings were clearly apparent when the car pulled into the driveway. He was happy to be home. Paul Anka had immediately jumped out of the car and begun the necessary task of marking the yard as "his" territory again. In fact, Lorelai was a little concern that he would completely dehydrate before he finished.

Rory's car had pulled into the drive a few minutes after Lorelai had arrived. Lorelai was still just standing next to the Jeep in a sort of daze. She probably would have continued to stand there indefinitely had Rory not taken charge and forced her in the house.

"When did Rory and I change places?" she wondered. "She's acting like the mom and I'm just the clueless child. I need to snap out of it."

Rory and Lorelai had made a game out of the unpacking. They took great delight in tossing dirty clothes at each other while jamming to latest release from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. All of this silliness had helped Lorelai elevate her mood and she was dealing with the memories much better.

With the unpacking complete and the dirty laundry sorted into various pile strung throughout the house, Lorelai decided to rest before dinner. The emotional roller coaster she had ridden today coupled with the aerobic unpacking had left her exhausted.

Rory was in her room sorting through the boxes that she brought home from New Haven. She needed to organize and file all of her school work. It was quickly becoming apparent that she would have to get more file folders to complete this project.

Since Lorelai was resting, Rory left a note on the coffee pot and headed out to buy supplies. While she was out, she figured that she would pick up dinner.

Rory considered what Lorelai might want for dinner. Actually she knew what she wanted, what they both wanted. So Rory decided to get it.

* * *

A little after 6:00 PM on Thursday night the bell over the door of Luke's diner rang. Luke looked up to see Rory enter for the first time in well over a month. He was shocked to say the least. 

Rory sauntered up to the counter just as if this was a typical day. Lane, who had spotted Rory as she entered, quickly ran behind the counter to talk with Rory.

They greeted each other warmly and began exchanging gossip and news. After about 10 minutes, Lane asked Rory what she wanted to order. Before Rory had even got even the first word out, Luke handed her a couple of take out orders sacks and said "I know what you want."

Rory smiled and said "Are you sure?"

"It's what you always order on Thursday, two cheeseburgers with extra cheese, no lettuce or tomato, two orders of chili fries, and two apple pies." Then, as he handed her two "to go" cups he added, "Here are your coffees."

Rory looked at Luke with sorrowful compassion and suggested, "Maybe next time it won't be to go."

Softly, Luke replied, "That would be good."

Then Luke turned to Lane and said, "If you want to take off early, that's okay. Just help Rory carry her food home."

Luke stared at the girls as they left, sighed and then went back to work.

* * *

Lorelai was up and somewhat rested when Rory came back. She was setting on the sofa sorting through some mail when she heard Rory approach the front door. As the door opened, Lorelai bellowed, "I'm starving!" 

"I have brought sustenance! You stay comfy while I get dinner ready. Oh, and say hi to Lane."

"Hi Lorelai!"

"Lane, hi. Come in." hollered Lorelai from her perch on the sofa.

"Can't, got get home to my hubby. We'll catch up this weekend. I am really glad to have you both home. See ya, bye." With that Lane left.

Rory walked into the living room carrying the sacks of food with the coffee. Lorelai looked at the sacks and stated the obvious, "So you went to Luke's."

"Yeah, I was craving a Luke burger and I figured you might be also."

"Did you see him?"

"He was there. He actually cooked the food personally. He had it ready before I even ordered. He knows what we want."

A small smile stole across her face as Lorelai grabbed one of the burgers and tried ask nonchalantly "How is he?"

"Luke-like but sad. I think he lost some weight and he looked tired. He has dark circles under his eyes" and she added silently, "just like you."

Lorelai began devouring her burger and gorging on chili fries. She had to admit, Rory's diner choice was definitely hitting the spot. Even her nausea had vanished.

After they finished eating and the mess was cleared up, Rory sat down next to her mother. "You know, you have to tell him. Why don't you just call him and ask him to stop by after he closes the diner?"

Lorelai shook her head, 'I don't think I can handle it tonight. Give me a couple of days, okay sweetie? I just need a chance to get settled back in around here first. But I promise, I'll tell him soon."

"I'll hold you to that, oh Queen of the Procrastinators!"

Lorelai and Rory settled in to watch TV. Around 8:30 Lorelai declared that she could no longer keep her eyes open and was heading for bed. Rory decided to head into her room also but she planed to stay up and work on her filing.

Lorelai fell immediately asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Then about an hour and a half after she had retired, she woke up.

* * *

Ever since Rory had walked into the diner that evening, Luke'smind have been in turmoil.

"Was there some deep significance to Rory coming into the diner? Was she trying to tell him that Lorelai wanted to see him? Maybe she was trying to tell him that Lorelai was over it and just wanted to be friends?" All of these questions rolled over and over in his brain. He had no idea what to do next. It was driving him crazy.

It was now 9:40 PM and the last customer had left over 20 minutes ago. Luke had sent Caesar home over an hour ago. There was no reason to stay open except that he hoped she would come.

Realizing that was a futile dream, he finally gave up about ten minutes before 10:00 PM. He turned the sign to CLOSED and began his normal closing routine. He emptied and cleaned out the coffee pots, wiped down all the tables and counter, and stacked all the chairs. He was in the back getting the bucket and mop when he heard the bell above the door ring.

His heart nearly stopped in anticipation and fear.

Cautiously he came into the dining area. There she was in his diner, standing in front of the door just like he dreamed. Well not exactly like his dream. He always imaged her in her slinky black dress with the high heels that he loved but this was close enough.

Tonight she was standing in the flesh wearing her "Yummy Sushi" pajamas, the ones she always wore when she didn't feel well. Her hair was ina curly mess, just like when she first woke up in the morning.

She simply stood there looking around the diner aimlessly until she spotted him. Her eyes then locked onto his. Neither of them spoke.

He had planned this whole speech in his head for just this moment. Now he couldn't remember one word. So he waited to hear what she wanted to say.

Suddenly it was as though a switch had been flipped and Lorelai began babbling. "I wanted to talk to you, I mean I planned to talk with you but I got tired. And since I am the ordained Queen of Procrastination, I decided to go to bed and sleep instead of talking to you. Which I did. But then, I wasn't, asleep that is. I mean, I don't know, I guess a dream or something woke me and I decided to come here. So here I am. Is it alright?"

With all of the certainty and authority he could muster, Luke replied a definite, "Yes".

He went toward the coffee maker and began to make her a pot of coffee. Just as he started to scoop the grinds into the filter he heard something that he never expected to hear from the lips of Lorelai Gilmore.

"No, I don't want any coffee, thank you."

Luke turned to look at her with astonishment but her face told him nothing.

Then he asked, "Want to go upstairs and talk more comfortably?"

"No, I fine right here."

That was what he was afraid of. Currently she was standing right in front of the door. There was a hint of panic in her eyes and an entire room and counter between them. If he made one wrong step or said one wrong word, she was going to bolt before he could catch her. He could tell that she was as skittish as a trapped cat.

Calmly he began to speak as he cautiously moved slowly from behind the counter and discretely tried to close the gab between them. "Lorelai, I messed up. I was so focused on trying to build a bond with April that I didn't pay attention to how it all affected you. I am so sorry that I hurt you. I wasn't there when you needed me. I didn't intentionally try to hurt you or ignore you but it doesn't make it any less wrong. I love you. You and April are the most important people in my life. I can't loose you. I need you."

Lorelai was just staring into his eyes. She didn't seem to be aware or she didn't care that he was slowly coming closer to her.

Luke continued, "I know that what happened really hurt you. I have no excuse except that I was stupid. I will do anything to try to make that up to you. Right now you probably don't feel you can trust me, but you can. I will prove that to you somehow. I promise I will never hurt you like this again."

Luke had managed to get within five feet of Lorelai. She suddenly seemed to be aware that he had moved closer and Luke sensed that her panic was increasing. He stopped his forward advance toward her and she seemed to calm down a bit.

Lorelai whispered just loud enough for him to hear, "I messed up, too"

"No, this was all my fault." he reaffirmed.

"Luke, I should have talked to you; made you talk to me. I didn't understand what you were going through or what you were thinking. It all was so confusing for me. But I just pretended everything was all right even when it wasn't and that was wrong. I just didn't know what to do."

"You're right, you should have talked me Lorelai but it doesn't change the fact that I messed up. I don't know why I was keeping you away from April. It seems so stupid now but I was confused and insecure and afraid. It wasn't that I didn't trust you; it's just that I didn't trust myself. I didn't want you to see me mess this up with April."

Lorelai bit her lower lip as she tried to process everything. Then she took a deep breathe and said "We have serious communication problems."

"Yes we do but I know that we can fix them. I swear that I will tell you everything, no secrets. I know I swore that before but please give me another chance. I will do this right this time. Just please don't leave me. I need you."

Lorelai's eyes began to tear up and her body started to sway causing Luke to fear that she was about to collapse. He quickly closed the last five feet that separated them and pulled her into his arms. Her body was tense at first but as his arms closed around her, she began to relax and lean into his embrace. He held her tightly in his arms, gently rocking back and forth.

In response to his hug, Lorelai entwined her arms tightly around his back pulling him close to her. "This all feels so familiar and right." she thought as she inhaled deeply the smell of him. "I feel like I have finally come home."

A peaceful smile formed across Luke's face as his left hand cupped the back of her head. With his right hand, he began rubbing her back in a gentle circular motion to soothe away her fears and anxiety. "This is where she belongs." he thought.

Lorelai lifted her head off Luke's shoulder and looked deeply into his clear blue eyes. She saw in those eyes a look of love mixed with raw passion. That look made her melt. S  
he tilted her face towards his and he lowered his lips softly onto hers. The touch was electric.

This kiss that started out gentle quickly grew to one of frenzy emotions as their mouths opened to allow their tongues to engage in duel of passion. It was a long hot kiss burning with hunger and deep in ardor. It was both satisfying and totally deficient in quenching the desires building in both of them.

Luke knew that if he didn't end this kiss soon, there would be no stopping for either of them. As much as he burned for her, he knew that now was not the time. Lorelai's emotions were still too fragile. He had to take it slow and rebuild her trust. If he went too fast, he risked shattering her confidence and loosing her completely.

Using all his strength of will, Luke began dialing down the fire in the kiss. Tearing his lips from hers, he moved to kiss her ear. Softly he whispered, "I need to take you home to get some sleep. I think we have talked enough tonight and I know you, you need time to process. I'm not going any place. I will be here for you when you're ready."

Luke turned and pulled her under his arm as he opened the diner door. He kept his arm around her as he walked her home in a companionable silence. At the edge of the steps to her porch, he finally broke the silence. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

A sly smile broke across her face as she teased, "There's a small possibility that Rory and I might make an appearance at the diner for a meal or two, if you're lucky."

After walking her up the steps to the door, Luke turned and kissed her gently goodnight. Lorelai smiled as she said "Goodnight" and opened the door to walk in. Suddenly she froze as though she was trying to make a decision.

Determinedly she turned around and faced Luke with an unreadable look on her face. "I came to the diner tonight to tell you something and I haven't told you yet.

He looked at her with first an amused expression but then he saw the serious look on her face and adjusted his mood appropriately.

After taking a deep breath, she held it for a few seconds before releasing it soundlessly. Lorelai then announced, "Luke I'm pregnant."

With that statement still reverberating in the air, Lorelai went inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

_(tbc)_


	8. Chapter 8 Making the Pieces FIT

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 8 – Making the Pieces Fit**

Luke was staring at Lorelai's closed front door in disbelief. "Did she just say what I think she said?" he asked himself. "Did Lorelai just tell me that she's pregnant? That we're going to have a baby?"

He had no idea what to do. He couldn't just leave. They needed to talk. But she had gone in to the house and just left him standing out here.

That probably meant that she wasn't ready to talk or did it? Maybe she was waiting for him to knock on the door or did she really did want him to go away?

"This is crazy!" he told himself, "She can't tell me that she's pregnant and then just walk away! We have to talk." Luke raised his hand to knock and then just stopped.

Something inside told him to wait, that he should be patient because there was something more complex going on here. Maybe she was testing him to see what he would do. Maybe she needed to know that he wouldn't ever leave her no matter what she did. Maybe he needed to show her that he understood even if she didn't.

He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to give her a great big hug and kiss and tell her he loved her. He wanted her to know that he was happy about the baby and he wanted to know how she felt about it. He wanted to make sure that she was healthy because honestly she did look kind of pale and tired. And he wanted to know when their baby was due to be born.

Most of all, he wanted know if Lorelai still wanted him.

All of a sudden he felt kind of funny, not ha-ha funny, sort of weird funny. He figured that he had better sit down. Moving to the top step of the porch, Luke dropped down and leaned against the railing. . He just closed his eyes and sat there thinking and waiting and hoping he was doing the right thing.

­­­­­

* * *

Rory had heard her mother (she hoped) come in through the front door and head upstairs. That had startled her. She hadn't been aware that Lorelai had gone out.

She thought that Lorelai was tucked into bed sound asleep for the night until she heard the front door close. Lorelai had looked really exhausted when they were watching TV and when she went upstairs to go to bed Rory figured that she'd be out for the next 10 to 12 hours.

So why'd she go out and where did she go?

Rory headed upstairs and opened the doors to the bedroom as she called out, "Mom?"

The room was dark with only the light from the street to illuminate it. Lorelai was setting sideways on the love seat in a sort of lotus position, holding a pillow and just staring outside. "Hey babe" she responded in a distracted tone.

"Mom, did you just come in from outside? Because I heard the front door close and someone came upstairs. If it wasn't you, then Kirk might be prowling around our house naked again and I so don't want a repeat of that show!"

"I'm sorry, it was me. I went to see Luke." She replied absent-mindedly.

"Oh," Rory stated with a bit apprehension in her voice, "so how'd it go?"

Lorelai continued to stare out of the window as she replied, "It was good. We talked some and, I don't know, it was Luke. We both realize that we made mistakes and there are things we still need to talk about and work on but it was a good start. We'll see."

"So you still haven't told him about the baby?"

"Yes, I told him." Lorelai said calmly. She had begun rocking back and forth.

"Well, how'd he take it? Was he happy or shocked or what?"

"I don't know." Lorelai responded in mundane voice.

"What do you mean you don't know? You couldn't read his reaction or he had no reaction? What?"

"I don't know." Lorelai repeated in a robotic tone still rocking back and forth.

"That doesn't make any sense I mean he had to say or do something. Did he faint or run away or jump up and down or cry. Mom, give me something to work with here,"

With a voice that sounded almost lifeless, Lorelai replied, "I didn't stay to see it."

"Huh?"

"I told him that I was pregnant and then I left." Lorelai's voice was now sounding eerily monotone and surreal. The pace of her rocking had been accelerated...

"You ran away?"

Sounding a little less monotone but now with a tinge of irritation, Lorelai explained, "Not exactly, I just came in the house."

"What? Mom, why would you do that? You can't just tell him your pregnant and walk away. He probably wanted to talk to you. You two need to talk about the baby! "

"I know." Lorelai responded in a decidedly more agitated voice.

"Mom, just leaving him was mean. You can't do that."

"I know. I know!" Lorelai's voice was now burgeoning on hysterical as the rhythm of the rocking reached a near frenzy pace.

Rory knelt down in front of Lorelai and pleaded, "Mom calm down!" Rory grabbed her mother at the shoulders and forced her to stop rocking as she said, "Please tell me what's going on!"

With tears spilling down her checks, Lorelai mutter, "I don't know why I did that."

"Mom, you have to talk to Luke. He's probably wigging out in his apartment right now. It's not fair. Call him up and ask him to come over NOW!"

"I don't think I have to."

"What? Why?"

"Because I think he's still out on our front porch."

"What?"

"I told him I was pregnant, walked in the house, and shut the door. I didn't hear him leave. I came up here immediately to watch out of the window and I haven't seen him walking away. He might have left during the time that I walking from the front door to here but I don't think so. Of course he can walk really fast, so I might have missed him. He has a pretty long stride."

Rory looked at her mother sternly and said, "You go outside right now and talk with him." Then Rory grabbed Lorelai's bunny slippers and put them on her feet before she pulled her mother up.

Lorelai was passively resisting but Rory was determined. She pushed Lorelai out of the bedroom and down the hall to the top of steps. When Lorelai hesitated to start down the stairs, Rory gave her the patented Gilmore "Do as I say' look and Lorelai cautiously began to descend.

Lorelai resisted one more time right in front of the door, but Rory was standing in the archway still with the Gilmore look on her face and Lorelai relented. She reached out and released the deadbolt before she turned the knob and opened the door.

* * *

Luke had been sitting on the deck thinking since Lorelai had dropped the news of the pregnancy. At first her actions made absolutely no sense but then he began to really analyze the situation. Slowly he began to understand what may have motivated her behavior. At least he thought he understood. He wouldn't really know for sure until he had a chance to talk with Lorelai. 

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the release of the deadbolt. He rose and turned towards the door and watched as it opened. Lorelai reluctantly emerged onto the porch.

She stood meekly in front of the door, with her arms wrapped protectively around her, staring at those stupid bunny slippers on her feet. She didn't say a word.

Slowly Luke walked over until he stood immediately in front of her. He took his index finger and placed it under her chin and lifted her head up until her eyes looked directly into his.

Her lower lip began to tremble as more tears spilled out of her eyes. He pulled her in close to him and wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"It's okay. It's okay." He crooned to her softly.

"I'm so sorry." Lorelai mumbled into his shoulder.

"Shhh, I said that it's okay."

Luke could feel Lorelai trembling with emotion. He needed to get her inside and calmed down. He picked her up and carried her into the house. As he placed her on the sofa, he asked Rory to put the kettle on to boil some water for tea.

He sat next to Lorelai and wrapped his arm around her pulling her to his chest and cradling her head. Slowly, she seemed to relax. Rory was back from the kitchen and now was standing next to the stairs waiting.

Soon the tea kettle began to whistle. Luke looked at Rory and motioned for her to take care of Lorelai while he went into the kitchen to fix the tea.

Once in the kitchen, Luke made three cups of tea, adding milk and honey to one of the cups. Then he carried all three cups into the living room. He handed one cup to Rory, put one of the cups down on the table, and handed the third cup with the milk and honey to Lorelai while saying, "Drink this."

Lorelai obediently began sipping from her cup.

Rory pointedly yawned and then stated that she was going to head into her room. The sounds of Rory's stereo could be heard through her closed bedroom door after she entered. The music wasn't too loud, just loud enough to mask any outside sounds from entering her room.

Lorelai had been quietly sipping her tea when she suddenly said, "this tastes good, a little sweet but good.'

Luke quietly responded, "I put honey in your tea. Your blood sugar seemed to be a little low."

"Oh."

Lorelai's mind was racing. There were all of these incomplete ideas swirling around but she couldn't seem to grab a hold of any fully coherent thought. She needed to say something, but she didn't know what.

Suddenly she just blurted out, "I'm sorry that I was such a bitch to you."

"You weren't a bitch."

"I just walked away."

"Yes, you did."

With a bewildered look on her face, Lorelai confessed, "I don't have any idea why I did that. That was really mean of me to just blurt it out and then leave you hanging. That wasn't the way I planned to tell you."

"Oh?"

"No, I planned to tell you in the diner but things got all jumbled up in my head. And then you started talking and you were so nice and sweet and it just didn't seem like the right time."

"I don't know what happened to me. I mean one minute we're saying goodnight and everything is good and then all of a sudden this evil spirit overtakes me and I just blurt out I'm pregnant and leave you blindsided. It was cruel and mean of me. I just don't understand what made me do that."

Luke raised his eyebrows in an insightful manner and said "I think I may know what's going on."

Lorelai turned and looked at him inquiringly but said nothing.

Luke cleared his throat and began to fidget. "I think for a while but especially over this last month you have been stressed. I know I have. And I think maybe your emotions are, uh, kind of on edge. Combine that with raging pregnancy hormones and you have a kind of volatile mix."

Luke then turned and looked deeply into Lorelai's eyes, "Plus I think that you're still angry at me."

Lorelai's eyes widen in shock and she sat up straighter and stiffer.

"I think that maybe secretly you wanted me to feel a little like you felt when you found out about April. Just get a little taste of how it felt to be totally blindsided and then to be left alone to deal with it. After you found out about April we never really talked about how it affected you. We only talked or rather I only talked about what it meant to me. I wasn't thinking about how you felt."

Lorelai guiltily looked away as she realized that there was probably more than a half of grain of truth in what he said.

"Look Lorelai, you have to deal with these feelings, WE have deal with them. You need to accept them and ah, what's the term, validate them before you can get passed them. I get that. I want to help. And if you need to rant and rave and yell at me, then do it. I deserve it"

"You need to believe that I am not going anywhere. That there is nothing that you or anyone else can say or do that will make me leave you again. You need to trust that I am with you 100 percent."

Lorelai felt that she should say something or do something but nothing came to her mind. So she just sat there staring off into space.

Luke really wanted to talk more. He wanted to talk about the baby and talk about them. He wanted to start planning their future right now but Lorelai wasn't ready. He knew that she needed time. Time to process and time to trust.

He also knew that she needed to rest. Nothing was going to get accomplished until she was able to get some sleep.

"Lorelai, look we have a lot to talk about and figure out but now isn't the time to get into it. You need to rest, you and the baby."

Luke got up and pulled Lorelai to her feet. "So," he continued, "you and my kid are going to go to sleep but I expect to see you tomorrow for breakfast. We will talk more when you're ready."

Putting his arm around her, Luke led Lorelai to the foot of the stairs. He gently kissed her on the top of her head and said, "Sweet dreams." He then turned and started to leave.

Lorelai dragged him back, put her arms around his neck, and pulled him to her for a proper kiss. He complied by wrapping his arms around her before he placed his lips on hers.

Luke was cautious not to let this kiss become to intense. At this point, even her crazy bunny slippers were a turn on for him but he was determined that she was going to get some sleep.

As he began to pull back from the kiss, she whispered in his ear, "Please stay with me tonight."

Luke looked into her face and knew he couldn't refuse her. But, he was just staying with her to give her comfort nothing more. With his arm around her, he escorted her up the stairs.

* * *

Luke held her close as she cuddled next to him. This all felt so familiar yet oddly unfamiliar. They're together but not exactly. 

She doesn't trust him and he knew it. Luke had betrayed her confidence. When they should have pulled together as a couple to deal with the appearance of April in his life, he had pulled away. Though he knew that he would never allow that to happen again, their relationship would never be right until she believed that.

He had to rebuild the trust between them if there were to be any hope for a future together. That meant he would have to be cautious of his actions and sensitive to her needs, especially now because of the baby.

Right now she was letting him partially in her life and he was grateful for that. If she needed him to hold and comfort her all night, then that's what he would do. No matter how many lustful primal urges he had to deny, he would just hold and comfort her.

* * *

Soon the rhythmic sound of her breathing told him that she had fallen asleep. 

He was having a little more difficulty. It was just that she looked so damn sexy in her silly "Yummy Sushi" pajamas snuggling up to him with her hair sprayed across his chest. It had been just slightly over a month since they had been intimate and his body was currently in conflict with the decisions of his mind. It wasn't so easy to just fall asleep with the beautiful, sexy love of his life was using him as a pillow.

But he had eventually fallen to sleep. He knew this because sometime in the middle of the night Lorelai's cries and flaying arms had awoken him.

Lorelai appeared to be in the grip of some horrible night terror. She was thrashing around with her arms pushing and scratching at him as she cried for help.

Luke grabbed her and held her tightly as he attempted to restrain her panic while he spoke soothingly to her, "Lorelai, Lorelai it's okay. I'm here. Baby wake up."

Lorelai began to emerge from the dark realms of her dream to the sound of Luke's reassuring voice. Her body was still reverberating from her nightmare and it left her crying and shaking. Luke was kissing and caressing her body tenderly in an attempt to soothe away her fears.

Slowly the visions and fears from the nightmare began to fade and more pleasant feelings spread through her body. Luke's tender kisses and gentle touches were definitely pushing the dream from her mind.

Then as though there were some prearranged agreement, they both looked into each others eyes and their lips met. This kiss was sweet and tender. Luke was determined to be her comforter and nothing more but Lorelai had a different plan.

Lorelai opened her mouth just enough to allow her tongue to begin sensually teasing his lips. That was more than Luke could resist. He immediately released his tongue to probe deep into her mouth and suddenly their tongues were dueling passionately.

His hands slipped quickly under her top to roam freely over her bare flesh. Her hands were having trouble pushing up his tee shirt so that they could roam over his body. Frustrated, Lorelai pulled him up and tried to yank his shirt off of him. Luke relented and pulled it quickly over his head.

Lorelai began to trace designs (or possibly words) with her tongue across his chest. The sensations were driving him crazy.

His hands that had been roaming across her back now were playing with the buttons on her night shirt. He wanted to unbutton and remove her shirt but he was still hesitant. He didn't want to just have sex but he wanted to make love to her. The problem was that he still wasn't sure that she was really ready for that level of intimacy with him again.

Lorelai decided that he was just being to slow, so she took matters into her own hands and deftly pulled the shirt over her head, buttons and all.

That was it for Luke, all his resistance disintegrated. His mouth began to worship her body. First he focused on her neck and collarbone, slow working his way down her chest. Finally he lowered his mouth on her breasts to both tease and tantalized each individually. Lorelai moaned in pleasure as he sucked and caressed each nipple.

Soon they had stripped off all of their clothes and were taking time to sensually explore each others naked body. Luke took special care to caress Lorelai's mid-section with long slow kisses.

At one point she giggled slightly when she heard him whispered softly to her belly, "Hey baby, it's Daddy, you alright in there?"

Their love making wasn't rushed or hurried. They took time to pleasure each other. The time and effort that both had invested and enjoyed in foreplay had pushed each near the edge of climax.

The build up of sexual tension was at its height when he finally entered her. He started slow and deliberate but Lorelai was too wound up wait. Wrapping her legs high over his shouldersto encourage him to probe deeper she begged him to go fasters and harder.

Her wish was his command.

Soon the frenzied pace of their thrusts had reached a feverish pitch as did their need for even more contact. Their hands roamed freely over each other caressing and stimulation. Their mouths moved over ears, necks, and shoulders, licking and sucking until finally reconnecting their lips with deep and lustful kisses. Both of their minds were filled with the pleasure of tactile stimulation.

Luke sensed that she was nearing her peak. He moved his hand down between her legs to touch her sensually and help send her over the edge. Suddenly he felt her muscles contract as her back arched and a low guttural moan escaped from her throat.

With that he let loose his own release and felt himself falling into that world of ultimate sensual pleasure as he held tightly to Lorelai.

* * *

Their breathing had returned to a conventional rate and both hearts were back to a normal rhythm. Lorelai was cuddling under Luke's arm, quietly enjoying a feeling of true happiness. Luke, too, was feeling happy and relax, and very sleepy.

Just as he was about to drift off, Lorelai whispered, "Wow!"

Luke thoroughly agreed and responded, "Definitely wow!" He turned his head and kissed her head affectionately.

"You should patent that, mister. You discovered a sure fire way of chasing away those night demons."

Luke chuckled as he turned on his side and rested his head on his arm. He looked deeply into her eyes as he asked, "You want to talk about your nightmare?"

Lorelai sighed and said, "It was really nothing. All I remember is you were waiting for me someplace and I couldn't get there. All this stuff kept getting in my way. It was silly really. I don't know why it scared me so much. Sorry."

Whether she really didn't remember or just didn't want to tell him, he knew that there was more to the dream. But she had told him enough. "Stuff" had come between them and it was still keeping them apart. She was terrified that they would never be able to get pass all of that "stuff".

Luke was more determined than ever to get them past all of their stuff.

_(Tbc)_


	9. Chapter 9 Missing Pieces

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Missing Pieces**

Luke's internal clock woke him at 5:00 AM. He had to extricate himself from Lorelai without disturbing her which was a feat in itself since she had wrapped herself around him. Once he had disentangled himself, he had dressed as quietly a possible though it probably didn't matter. Lorelai seemed to be dead to the world. "Good," he thought, she really needs to sleep."

Before Luke headed downstairs, he wrote a little note to Lorelai. He used to leave her little notes all the time, but then he sort of quit. It dawned on him that he stopped writing these silly notes around the time April appeared in his life. "Well Danes," he thought to himself, "just another thing for you to feel guilty about."

He placed the note on the mirror in the bathroom where she was sure to see it. It simply said, "Morning Sleeping Beauty! I had to leave for the diner. Come by as soon as you get up and I'll make you a special breakfast, but NO COFFEE! Love, L".

The diner had been unusually busy all morning. Several of the towns' people had commented that Luke's seemed to be in a good mood but Luke had completely ignored them. Obviously the rumor mill was running at full power. The probably knew that he had spent the night at Lorelai's. He knew he wasn't acting any different than any other day even though his mood was 100 times lighter than it had been for a month. He really didn't feel exactly happy just a lot more hopeful.

* * *

Lorelai and Rory didn't show up until almost 11:30 AM. Luke was becoming concern that they wouldn't show up at all. He was visibly relieved when he saw them.

When they first walked in Lorelai had scanned the diner anxiously until she saw Luke. Their eyes locked together for an instant before she and Rory moved to take a table.

Luke came over to their table, presumably to take their orders. He did want to get their order but he also was looking to gage Lorelai's mood.

"What can I get you?" Luke asked searching Lorelai's face. Their eyes locked again and for Luke the whole world momentarily disappeared.

"You with a side of bacon." replied Lorelai sassily.

"You have me." Luke whispered and then blushed when he remembered that Rory was setting right there.

Rory giggled but restrained herself from saying, "Oh, that's so cute!" She didn't want Luke to die of embarrassment.

Luke, now studying his order pads intensely, tried again, "You in the mood for breakfast food or lunch?"

"Well, since it's after 11:00 and closer to noon, I'm thinking brunch. So what do you have on your brunch menu?"

Pretending to be annoyed, he replied, "There is only one menu and it serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between." Then he spoke a little softer and more intimately, "If you're in the mood for something not on the menu, tell me and I'll try to make it for you."

"Ooooh, special treatment! I want Peking Duck with Mandarin Pancakes and …"

Luke cut her off before she could continue, "Lorelai!"

"Well, you asked." Taking a deep breath, Lorelai answered seriously this time, "A Texas omelet with extra cheddar and jack, chocolate chip pancakes with bacon and sausage, oh, also an order of chili cheese fries."

Luke gave her a look like his stomach was bothering him and said, "And that's it?"

"Plus apple pie; with cheese; à la mode."

"You done?"

Lorelai gave him a big smile as an answer.

"Rory?"

"I'll have a double cheese burger with chili cheese fries. Oh, and apple pie plain, please."

"You got it." Luke left to make their orders but then he saw Miss Patty just coming in.

"Lorelai darling, I heard you were back…"

Luke deftly blocked Patty's path and maneuvered her toward the opposite side of the diner, saying "Why don't you sit over here, Patty?"

Patty was not easily dissuaded but Luke was determined. Before Patty could protest too much, Luke gave her a look that froze the words in her mouth.

Rory and Lorelai had just begun a verbal banter over who was at fault for Nick and Jessica's breakup when Miss Patty entered the diner. As soon as Patty began to speak Lorelai's face instantly froze with a look of terror.

Rory had expected her mother to be uncomfortable talking to the town gossips like Miss Patty, but the stricken look on Lorelai's face caught her off guard. Plus, suddenly Lorelai seemed to be having difficulty catching her breath.

Rory's voice was full of concern when she asked, "Mom?"

Lorelai wasn't aware that Luke's actions had thwarted Patty's attempt to question her. As soon as she heard Patty's voice, Lorelai experienced a full blown panic attack and everything else disappeared. All she could think about was getting out of there.

Without a word or gesture, Lorelai leaped from her chair, ran out of the diner, jumped in the Jeep and drove away.

Rory, taken back by Lorelai's abrupt departure, was too slow to react to stop her. Lorelai was already out of the diner and rounding the front of the Jeep before Rory could disengage herself from the chair and table.

Luke had his back to Lorelai when he heard Rory's plaintive cry of "Mom?" He turned around just in time to see Lorelai racing down the steps of the diner towards the Jeep.

Both Rory and Luke bolted from the diner trying to catch Lorelai before she drove off but they were too late. Now, standing outside, they stared at each totally mystified. Each was hoping the other one of them understood what happened. Neither did.

"What happened?" Luke finally asked.

Rory just shook her head as she responded, "I'm not sure. You saw her, she was fine and then Miss Patty came in and Mom just sort of freaked."

Luke responded with just a hint of panic of his own in his voice, "I was keeping Patty away from her because I knew she would upset her. I had taken care of it. Didn't she know that? I won't let anyone hurt her."

"Calm down Luke, it'll be alright. I think she's just a little emotional right now." Rory looked around and then whispered, "You know, because of the hormones. She'll just drive around for a little while and then come to her senses. I'll probably find her at home feeling foolish about the whole thing."

"Maybe."

"Trust me, I know Mom. You just stay here and I'll have her call you. Don't worry, she won't leave again. I promise."

"Okay." Luke replied trying to sound more confident than he felt. The last time Lorelai ran off like this she was gone almost a month and he still didn't know where she had been. Of course, Rory knew which gave him some level of confidence but not much.

* * *

Rory headed off on foot towards the house. She was trying to reassure herself that Lorelai would be there and waiting for her but she wasn't haven't much luck.

Rory was about 75 percent confident that Lorelai wouldn't drive far before she calmed down. She figured that Lorelai would come home at that point. "She wouldn't drive to Boston again." Rory said trying to convince herself.

There was no sign of Lorelai when Rory got home. Rory tried her cell but it just went to voice mail.

It would be pointless to call Christopher at this point since there was no way that Lorelai could get to Boston in 15 minutes. Plus, Rory didn't want her dad involved in whatever this was if it wasn't necessary. If Lorelai did show up at Christopher's, Rory felt certain that he would call her.

Rory just sat there waiting and thinking and hoping.

* * *

Luke walked back into the diner a little scared, frustrated and angry. The look on his face should have warned everyone to stay clear, but Patty wasn't always a very good judge of when to leave people alone.

As soon as Luke was in the diner, she started talking, "You know dear, Lorelai seemed a bit distressed. Did you say or do something to upset her again because she just came back and…"

Before Patty could finish her thought, Luke exploded. "You know Patty maybe some people find your constant meddling in their personal business to be a real pain in the ass. Did it ever occur to you that Lorelai didn't want to sit in here and be subjected to your intrusive interrogation? Did you everthink that all your questions can actually make things worse? Lorelai ran out of here to get away from you not me."

With that Luke hollered to Caesar that he was going upstairs.

* * *

Luke stormed upstairs. He had to get away from Patty and all the loonies in the town. They were making him crazy. Lorelai was making him crazy.

Where is she? Why did she run like that? Sure Patty is a pain in the ass and she is too damn nosey but Lorelai used to be able to handle Patty just fine. What set her off today?

Maybe it is because of the pregnancy.

Luke walked over to his desk and picked up a book. He had originally bought this book for T.J. Liz's pregnancy was making her kind of looney (Hey, he thought, our kids will be about the same age. Okay, that's off the point.). T.J., though a certified loon himself, was really trying hard to be understanding and good to Liz. It was just that he's such a screw up and was always doing the wrong thing.

Every time that he upset Liz, T.J. would end up talking to Luke. Luke would spend hours trying to explain the situation to T.J. So finally he went out and bought this book to give to T.J. hoping that he would read it and start figuring things out on his own.

The book is "What to Expect When You're Expecting?" Unfortunately, reading the book made T.J. crazier which in turn made Liz crazier. Luke took the book away from T.J.

Now it might come in handy with Lorelai. He turned to the section on mood swings and began to read it.

* * *

Boy that fit Lorelai to a tee. According to this book the hormones could make a woman moods just turn on a dime. The least little silly thing could cause a mood swing. Plus if the woman was under a lot of stress, the hormones could trigger severe depression and anxiety. Stress was definitely bad for pregnant women and their babies.

"Great," thought Luke. "Lorelai is a walking time bomb."

The good news was that the mood swings should level off around the fourth month. "Thank God," he thought, "at least it's temporary."

Now all he needed to do is find her. Since Rory hadn't called yet, he could assume that Lorelai hadn't come home yet. Where would she go?

Luke thought for a minute and then it hit him. "Damn!" he thought, "I bet she's there."

Luke grabbed his keys and left.

* * *

Rory was really starting to get worried. She had been almost positive that Lorelai would come home. But she hadn't.

"Okay, where would she go?" asked Rory to herself. Suddenly the answer came to her. "Shoot, I should of thought of that first."

Rory call The Dragonfly. Michel answered, "Dragonfly Inn, Michel speaking."

"Michel, this is Rory is my mom there?"

"Rory? Rory? I know no Rory. I used to know a Rory whose mother worked here at the Dragonfly but this woman just walked out and abandoned her job. I had to start doing her job and mine. So I do not know this Rory that you speak of any more."

"Michel, just tell me if Mom is there? "

"I have not seen Lorelai in a month. That is why I am still doing her work as well as my own."

"Are you sure?"

"Look, I am not blind and though it has been weeks since I last saw her, I believe that I could still recognize her. She is not here."

"Maybe she came in the back way. Let me talk to Sookie, Michel."

Though he was offended that Rory would insinuate that Lorelai could possible come to the Dragonfly and not talk to him, he did as Rory requested and transferred her call to the kitchen.

* * *

When Sookie answered, Rory quickly began the conversation with, "Is Mom there?"

"Hey Rory, no I haven't see your Mom yet. Was she coming in this morning, because I thought that she wasn't planning on starting back to work until Monday? If she's coming in I better warn Michel to behave. You know that he adores Lorelai and has missed her so much but he tends to be a little abrasive when he feels sentimental. Why did you think she might be here?"

"Oh Sookie, Mom freaked out at the diner and ran off again."

"What? What did Luke do?"

Sookie had called earlier in the day before Lorelai got up. Rory had talked with her and filled her in on everything that had happened since they had returned home.

"Sookie, Luke didn't do anything. He's been great with Mom. No, it was Miss Patty. We had just ordered breakfast and things were good. Mom and Luke sort of flirted, it was cute and then Patty walked in and was heading over to us to talk with Mom. Luke had actually blocked her path, but Mom just freaked out anyway. You should have seen her face."

"Then she just bolted out of the diner without a word. Luke and I haven't been able to find her since."

Sookie was taken back by all of this. "Sweetie," she asked in a conspiratorial tone, "you don't think she'd head back to your dad's place?"

"I'm pretty sure that she won't but I guess it's possible. I don't know, but I have a feeling that she won't go that far. This is different than last time. Are you sure that she is not hiding at the Dragonfly?"

"Well, she hasn't come back here to the kitchen and if Michel hasn't seen her, I don't think that she's anywhere around."

"Oh," Rory replied disappointedly, "if you see her Sookie, please keep her there and call me!"

"I will do kid. You'll let me know as soon as she shows up, okay?"

"Thanks Sookie."

When Sookie hung up the phone, she was definitely worried. Lorelai always tended to run when things got too bad but just taking off because of Miss Parry seemed far out there even for Lorelai.

Sookie picked up a sack of food scraps to take them outside. She likes to save as much of the garbage that she could for Jackson's compost but Lorelai didn't like her do that. She claimed that it was too smelly.

So Jackson had bought two special locking lid garbage containers and would hide one of them in the back away from the inn where no one saw or smelled it. Sookie would sneak garbage out whenever no one was looking and dump it in the container. Then every couple of days, Jackson would come and collect the container filled with garbage and leaves the empty one.

The system worked great and Jackson was making some fine rich composite for fertilizer.

As Sookie was dumping the garbage in the container, she noticed something behind the horse barn. It was Lorelai's Jeep. Sookie ran back as quickly as possible and called Rory.

* * *

Luke drove up the back way to the Dragonfly looking for Lorelai. He figured that she would want to be alone so she wouldn't actually go into the Inn itself. He was right. Hidden behind the horse barn was Lorelai's Jeep.

Luke parked the truck behind the Jeep (he was consciously blocking her in so she couldn't escape). As he headed into the barn, he thought to himself, "Lorelai loves those damn horses."

Cletus and Desdemona eyed Luke suspiciously as he looked into their stalls for Lorelai. He didn't find her but there were four more empty stalls still to search.

He found her in the second empty stall that he looked into. She was curled up tight, hugging her knees to her chest sitting on a bale of hay in the corner.

Luke walked in and sat down next to Lorelai on the hay bale. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. They sat there like that for a minute or so. Then Luke asked, "So, are you ready to tell me what's going on?"

"No, there's nothing to tell."

"Lorelai, talk to me."

"It was stupid. I just didn't want to talk with Patty and I got a little crazy."

"Uh huh." Luke scrutinized her face for a minute, took a long look at the inside of the stall andgot up. After a deep breathe, he started to do something really strange. He began moving the bales of hay around.

Lorelai watched this with great curiosity but didn't comment. She noted that this seemed to be a really bizarre response to their previous and very short conversation.

Also she noted this sudden show of physical strength by Luke was doing wonders to change her mood. Moving all those bales was pretty impressive since she knew each one weighed around 70 pounds.

Luke worked hard to move and lift them and seemed to be building a sort of wall, like a privacy wall, between where she was sitting and the door to the stall. Then he moved more bales around the area where she was sitting to form a sort of a platform bed.

As he moved the bales around, he had gotten hot and took off the flannel shirt. Watching Luke hoist all of these bales in just his tee shirt was kind of fun. She could watch his muscles flex and contract. Plus the tee shirt was getting sort of sweaty and was really clinging to his body.

When he finished with the bales, he turn without saying a word and just walked out. She had no idea what to make of all of this or where he was going. This was all kind of weird. She didn't know what to do but she figured she would just play along with whatever game he was up to. At some point Luke would tell her what was going on.

* * *

Luke walked outside to his truck. He was planning on calling Rory but didn't have to. She was standing right there.

Rory was a little shocked when Luke walked out of the barn. First thing she noticed was his trademark flannel shirt was missing. Plus he was sweaty and covered in hay.

Her first thought was that Luke and her mom had just had a roll in the hay, literally. She suppressed the giggle.

As he removed an old blanket that he carried behind the seat in the truck, he explained to Rory what he planned to do. She agreed that it was a good idea. He also gave her a task which caused her to immediately leave and head to the Dragonfly to complete.

* * *

He walked back into the stall where Lorelai was sitting. He pulled her up to stand and then spread out the blanket over the hay bale platform that he had built. Then he lay down on the blanket and pulled Lorelai in next to him.

They just lay there cuddling for a few minutes. Lorelai was feeling really happy. Luke had built them their own private little secret get-away. No one would know that they were in here. It was so sweet!

As Lorelai snuggled close, Luke pulled her tighter to him and kissed her forehead. He could tell that she was much calmer and more relaxed.

So he finally spoke. "We're going to talk."

He could sense her tense up a little as she turned her head to look at him in surprise.

* * *

Luke waited for Lorelai to say something but she didn't. So he began.

"Why did you run out of the diner?"

"I told you, I didn't want to talk with Patty."

"I got that but why the freak out? You can handle Patty. You're the queen diversion and evasiveness." Luke's eyes were searching her face intensely.

"Not always." Lorelai responded though clearly uncomfortable with the conversation.

"So what were you so afraid that she would find out about? The baby?"

"Yes," she replied almost too fast. "I am not ready to broadcast that yet." Lorelai sounded weak and unsteady and she had begun to fidget noticeably.

Luke looked deeply in her eyes and quietly said, "You're lying, I don't believer you. There's something you don't want to tell me, isn't there?"

Lorelai eyes flashed angrily at Luke and then changed to a look of determination. "We're broken up. I don't have to tell you anything." Lorelai then tried to pull out of Luke's hold but he wasn't letting her go.

Luke looked intensely at Lorelai and said, "I told you that there is nothing you can say that will make me let you go again."

"What to bet?" she replied defiantly.

"Just tell me."

"Where did you think I went after that night? I'll tell you, I went to Christopher. Yes, that's right, Christopher. You want to know why, because I was lost and broken and I needed someone."

This time Lorelai was able to twist out of Luke's arms. She stood up in front of him and faced him boldly.

Luke didn't say a word but simply sat up, took a hold of her wrists and didn't let go.

"I had no one else so I went to Christopher, because he had been so good to me after Lane's wedding. Oh yeah, you never really heard what really happened at Lane's wedding did you? That's because the whole town covered up for me and lied to you."

"Oh I got drunk but there was no singing involved. I was drunk and I tried to make a toast to congratulate Lane and Zach on being able to actually pull off a wedding at the young age of 22. But the toast turned in to my sad confession of my failure to accomplish the same feat with the man I love."

"See I already knew that our wedding was never going to happen, that there was no room in your life for both April and me. I confessed to the whole town that I was never getting married, that you and I would never make it to that altar. I made a complete and pitiful fool of myself and Christopher rescued me."

"He carried me home and stayed with me until he was sure I was alright. He was sweet and caring and supportive. So naturally when you rejected me I turned to Christopher."

"You probably won't believe me, but I no recollection of actually driving to Boston that night. The only thing I can really remember is knocking at his door. Everything else is sort of a blur, but it doesn't matter. All that matters is I went there that night and woke up in his bed naked this next morning."

By the time Lorelai finished talking, her voice had risen to almost a scream. Her heart was beating fast and she was shaking in rage. Her eyes were searing into Luke's daring him to run.

Luke had become paler the more she talked and he hadn't made a sound the whole time she was speaking, but he was still looking into her eyes when she finished and he hadn't let go of her wrists.

* * *

Rory was struggling with the server cart over the uneven terrain in the barn. Luke had asked her to get Sookie to fix them some sandwiches. He was concerned that Lorelai still hadn't eaten anything. That wasn't good for her or the baby.

When Rory had told Sookie of the request for food, she of course had over-reacted. She had prepared an entire banquet. Now Rory was left with the task of transporting all of this to the barn.

When she rolled the cart into the barn, she could hear her mother's voice but couldn't make out what she was saying. Rory hesitated at the stall door but then decided to roll the cart all the way into the stall so Luke would know that the food had arrived.

Once in, she could actually make out the words that her mother was saying. Lorelai was making it sound like she and Christopher had sex that night and she was confessing it to Luke! Is that really what her mother thought had happened?

Did Lorelai really notknow what had occurred that night? Did Christopher not tell her? Rory was upset to know that her mother had lived with this guilt for no reason for the past month. Though when she thought about it that sort of explained a lot. Her mother had been beating herself up over something that never happened.

Rory moved around the makeshift hay bale wall and stood in view of Luke and Lorelai. Luke noticed her first and turned his gaze towards her. Lorelai's eyes followed Luke's and grew wide when she saw her daughter standing there.

Rory boldly stepped forward and said, "Mom, that's not exactly what happened. I know you don't remember but Dad should have told you the truth."

(Tbc)

**A/N This was a tough chapter for me to write for some reason. I really struggled so I hope that I did it justice. I have rewritten it so many times that I am no longer able to judge. PLEASE read and review and let me know. **


	10. Chapter 10 Fitting the Pieces Together

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Fitting the Pieces Back Together**

Luke cleared his throat and said, "Hold on a minute Rory, I have something that I need to clear up before anyone says anything else."

Luke turned back to look intensely at Lorelai while still holding her wrists softly in his hands and asked calmly, "Lorelai, are you with Christopher now?"

Puzzled by the question but still bristling from her anger charged confession, Lorelai replied curtly, "No, of course not."

"Do you want to be with Christopher?"

Lorelai's expression could only be described as totally bewildered as she adamantly replied, "NO! Absolutely not. Never."

"Do you want to be with me?"

A buzzing was beginning in her ears as she responded softly, "Yes."

"Then I don't care. What happened that night with Christopher doesn't matter to me." Luke pronounced.

"What?" Her head was spinning now.

Luke bore deeply into her eyes and repeated more slowly with emphasis on each word, "What happened does not matter to me."

Lorelai stared at Luke totally confused. Oddly he no longer looked like himself. The whole room seemed to be filling with a dirty yellow haze and the buzzing in her ears was so loud now that she could barely hear anything else. She wanted to ask him something but the room was spinning and it was getting so dark. She suddenly felt so heavy that she just couldn't stand up any more.

* * *

Luke had been focusing so intensely on what he was saying to Lorelai that he hadn't realized that she was fainting until her eyes began to cloud over. This jolted him into action. Quickly he leaped up and caught her in his arms before she had sunk to the floor. He then laid her gently on the hay bales. 

Rory's angle of vision was behind her mother and couldn't see her face, so she was totally surprised when Luke suddenly jumped up and caught a collapsing Lorelai. As Luke laid Lorelai on the hay, Rory got a good look at her mother. Lorelai's face was totally white, even her lips. Her eyes were closed and she looked dead. Rory felt panicky.

Luke's left arm was under Lorelai's knees holding her legs above her heart as he lay her gently down and stroked her cheek. He turned his head to talk to Rory and was momentarily worried that he might have to catch another Gilmore girl before she collapsed. Luckily the color began to return to Rory's face before that happened.

"Is there any water on there?" Luke asked Rory as he cocked his head toward the serving cart.

Rory was staring at Lorelai and it took her a second longer than normal to respond. "Uh, there's hot for tea and ice water." Rory turned to look on the cart and then added, "Oh, there's also some orange juice."

"Wet a napkin with the ice water and give it to me."

Rory quickly did as asked.

The color was already returning to her face and Lorelai was beginning to regain consciousness. Luke wiped her face with the cloth and then placed it on the back of her neck. The shock of the ice cold cloth made Lorelai's eyes fluttered open. She looked around a little confused before she focused on Luke.

He spoke to her softly, "Lorelai, you are alright. You just fainted. Lay still and rest."

Lorelai focused on Luke and replied, "I'm okay. I just got a little dizzy."

Luke chuckled before he said, "Dizzy my eye, you passed out cold!"

She pulled herself up so that she was sitting up.

Luke turned to Rory and asked, "Can you give me that orange juice?"

Rory handed the glass of juice to him. Luke put the orange juice to Lorelai's lips and commanded, "Drink." She did as instructed though she really didn't like orange juice.

When she had finished the juice, Luke kissed her on her forehead and got up. He then looked at her sternly while pointing a finger for emphasis and ordered her to, "Stay!"

"Ooh, so forceful! You're such a man!"

Luke smiled shyly and headed over to the cart filled with food. "Geez," he thought, "how many people did Sookie think she was feeding out here?" Then he looked over at Lorelai and Rory now sitting together and realized that maybe Sookie knew what she was doing.

Luke pushed the cart up so it was in front of the girls and pulled out its leaves to form a round dining table. He started taking the covers off of the various dishes to identify them.

"Ladies," he announced, "it looks like we have angel hair pasta with fried scallops in a…" Luke lifted the dish to his nose and smelled, "curry sauce. Fried fish and chips, possibly an andouille and potato soup, definitely French onion soup, a baked goat cheese gnocchi, uh, a seafood or maybe just crab salad sandwich, a chicken focaccia sandwich, fried shrimp salad with Vidalia onion and remoulade dressing, carpaccio and artichoke salad, spaghetti Bolognese, almond chocolate truffles, and chocolate walnut brownies. Wow, that's quite a selection. What do you want to start with first?"

After a short discussion, the girls decided to share all of the dishes equally. Everyone should just pick up a utensil and start digging in; which they did with gusto.

Luke picked up a single dish, put it on his lap and began eating. Lorelai looked over at him suspiciously and said, "Hey what are you bogarting there?"

Luke showed her the dish and said, "It's a mixed lettuce, onion, tomato, and blue cheese salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. I figured it was for me since neither one of you would ever put anything green in your mouths voluntarily."

"Your right," Lorelai replied then pointed to herself, "I would never touch that but I'm no longer in control of these things, am I?" Now pointing to her stomach, "IT seems to want it, so pass it over." She then crinkled her face in mock anger and stated, "This baby is so yours!"

Luke smiled broadly and happily passed over the salad to Lorelai thinking, "If I had only known that this was the way to get her to eat something green, I would have gotten her pregnant years ago!"

* * *

Almost all of the food had been consumed and the three of them were lying back against the wall feeling overly stuffed. Luke was especially miserable since he normally only ate a small salad or half of sandwich for lunch but Lorelai had insisted that he try everything on the cart. It was way too much food! 

There were still two brownies left of the half dozen that Sookie had sent. Lorelai was considering whether to eat them now or wait ten minutes. She felt really full but those brownies were calling her name. Then she looked down at her stomach and shrieked, "I am getting so-o-o fat!"

Suspecting that this was a theme that would be a common place occurrence in their lives for the next few months, Luke responded cautiously, "You are not getting fat. If anything you are too thin. That temporary tiny distention to which you are pointing is simply the undigested remains of this gluttonous orgy in which you just participated."

Both girls responded with a chorus of "Dirty!"

Rolling his eyes in fake annoyance, Luke was secretly glad that this topic had not led to a hysterical Lorelai lamenting about how fat she looked because of the pregnancy. He knew that was coming but at least not today.

Actually, Luke was a bit concern because Lorelai looked anything but fat; she looked too thin. He suspected that she had lost maybe ten pounds since _that_ night. Not even her mid section showed any sign of the pregnancy (he had a chance to really observe it last night) and the rest of her looked a little gaunt.

He suspected that she hadn't eaten enough because of him and their whole situation. That was bad. Lorelai, with her bizarre metabolism, really needed to eat, especially with the baby. This was something he was determined to remedy.

Lorelai was silent for a minute and then she blurted out, "No, I think that bulge is the baby. I think that I'm already starting to show."

"It's too soon for you to be showing, isn't it? I mean you're not that far along are you? You just realized that you're pregnant, right? You didn't know before … I mean, you would have told me."

Realizing that this was a sensitive subject for him, Lorelai wanted to reassure him. "No you're right, it's too soon. I'm not exactly sure, but I figure that I'm maybe five or six weeks along. I probably should have realized it sooner but, you know, I wasn't thinking too clear. I just took the test a couple of days before we came back."

Feeling relieved that she hadn't tried to keep the pregnancy from him, he wanted more information. "So you haven't seen the doctor yet?"

"Not yet, but I called for an appointment today. I am going on Tuesday at two."

"I want to go with you."

Lorelai was taken back. Luke hated hospitals and doctors and anything medical. "You do? You do know what they do at these appointments don't you?"

"Yes, but I'm not the one that will be getting stuck with needles or probed." he teased. Then more seriously, "I just want to hear what the doctor has to say. Plus, we are in this together, all the way. You're not alone."

Lorelai smiled at him sweetly but there was a bit of mischief in her eyes. "So we're in this together, huh? I guess you can have the morning sickness and I'll take the cravings. Got a deal?"

He gave her a smirked and pulled her closer to him. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and then gave her a long hug.

As he held her, he started thinking and trying to figure when she might have gotten pregnant and without realizing he spoke aloud, "So it probably happened after I came back from the trip with April..."

Rory got up suddenly. She was feeling a little uncomfortable where this conversation was heading and sensing that she was a third wheel, she declared that she needed to leave.

That was the truth. She had to go to her job at the Stamford Gazette. The paper had been really great and had let her take the month off but she had told them she would be back today. Since she was scheduled to work the three to midnight shift and it was already after 1:30, she needed to get going. It is a 45 minute drive and she still had to change.

Rory gave her mom a big hug, kissed her on the check, and whispered, "See I told you it would work out." Then Rory surprised Luke by giving him a hug and whispering, 'Hang in there, she does love you."

As Rory was leaving, a thought occurred to her and she turned around to face both Luke and Lorelai. "I know you didn't want to talk anymore about this, but both of you need to know what happened with Dad that night."

Turning toward her mother, Rory continued, "All he did is take care of you, Mom, nothing else. You were really upset and he tried to calm you down. At some point he gave you some brandy but that turned out to be a really bad idea. It caused you do an exorcist."

"I guess you were really a mess. He had to put you in the shower to clean you up. It had gotten in your hair, clothes, and everything. Afterwards, he went to get some clean dry clothes for you to wear but you fell asleep before you had a chance to put them on. That's all that happened. Dad swore to me. In fact he was really upset that I or anyone would think that he would or could take advantage of you like that."

With that, Rory left.

* * *

Luke had truly meant what he said to Lorelai, that what happened that night with Christopher didn't matter. He didn't like to think about it but he knew that it was his actions that had caused Lorelai's breakdown. He held himself responsible, not her. 

Of course, he felt totally different about Christopher. For a guy to sink so low as to use a women in Lorelai's condition was reprehensible. According to Luke, Christopher deserved to die.

Luke had been fantasizing various scenarios for Christopher's very painful and timely demise. His favorite method would involve simply ripping his head off of his body. Of course, that might make things awkward around Rory so he thought that he might just beat him to a bloody pulp.

Now, with the information that Rory provided, Luke had to reassess his opinion of Christopher (a little, at least). It appears that the guy had acted honorably, more honorably that he had acted that night. Chris had comforted her; Luke had just let her walk away.

* * *

Lorelai kept thinking about what Rory had said. It rang true. She sort of remembered the brandy but she definitely remembered a part of the reenactment of the exorcist. Regarding the cleanup, she had a vague memory of being in the shower with Christopher. She was naked but he was wearing clothes. So she hadn't, they hadn't. 

She felt like a major weight was lifted off of her. She had been feeling so guilty about what she thought had happened with Christopher, that it was disturbing her sleep. She hadn't been honest with Luke about her nightmare, the same type of nightmare that had been plaguing her sleep in one form or another for weeks.

It was always the same theme. Luke would finally want her but then he would see her with Christopher and walk away. Last night she dreamt that Christopher was lying on top of her in bed and though she kept trying to push him off she couldn't. Then the door opened and Luke was standing in the doorway. He had come for her and wanted her but Christopher wouldn't get off and let her go. Luke finally had gotten frustrated and just walked away. It ended with her screaming and fighting to get away from Christopher and go to Luke but it was too late.

* * *

Luke realized that they both had been sitting there quiet ever since Rory had left. Obviously Rory's little revelation had them both thinking. Luke figured that he better say something. 

"Lorelai, I want you to know what I said earlier wasn't exactly accurate. I did mean it when I said that it didn't matter what happened between you and Christopher that night. Whatever happened wasn't your fault."

"However, I did and do blame myself. You wouldn't have ever gone to him if it hadn't been for me. I didn't listen to you and you felt that I didn't want you. I will admit that I don't like that the only person you felt you could go to for support was Christopher but I am glad that he there for you."

Now it was Lorelai's turn. She had all these thoughts in her head and she wanted to be very clear how she expressed them.

"Luke, you and I are in a bad pattern. Every time there is a problem or something bad happens we push away from each other. Rory once told me that you and I are like turtles. I laughed at her but I think she's right. We do both pull into our protective shells."

"We both are accustomed to dealing with our problems without anyone to help. In fact, we both push away any help offered until we have no choice. That type of behavior is not good for a relationship and it dooms any marriage to failure."

Luke looked at her with fear in his eyes. He knew what she said was the truth but he didn't want to hear it and he didn't like where it appeared to be leading.

When Lorelai continued, her voice was quivering, "I just don't know if we can break this pattern." She patted her stomach and said, "Now with this little one, there is so much more at risk. I don't know where we go from here."

Luke shook his head as if to clear away his fears and doubt. What she said might have been true before but not any longer. He knew that. This last month had changed him, changed them both but especially him.

He had always envisioned his role in this relationship as Lorelai's support. His was to take care of everything; to fix things. That was wrong. It made their relationship unbalanced and not a true partnership.

But he had learned from his mistakes. He was ready and he knew that she was ready. Lorelai was just afraid to trust. He understood that but he was determined to prove to her that she could trust him, trust them. He didn't know how but he knew he had to break through this wall she had erected.

Luke moved to kneel in front of Lorelai and said, "Look, don't give up on us. I know that I messed up but I can learn from my mistakes and I have. No more secrets and no more partitions. Let me prove that to you, please?"

Lorelai looked back at him. He was so sincere and she loved him so much but she was so afraid to actually believe in the dream again. If she let herself she believe that they could really make it work this time and another obstacle got in their path, she wasn't sure she could survive this time. Wasn't it better to just not risk it?

But what was the alternative, to live the rest of her life without him? Well, not entirely without him because he would always be around for the baby. Is this what she wanted, to only be with Luke when he came to visit the baby?

No that was stupid. She wanted Luke; she wanted a "them". Lorelai answered Luke with a shy smile.

"So it's yes? We are back on?" Luke asked tentatively.

Lorelai replied equally tentative, "Yes, we're back on. We are officially dating again."

It wasn't exactly what Luke hoped for but it was good enough for now. He had hoped that the engagement would be back on and they could finally plan the wedding but she wasn't ready for that step yet.

He was. He had taken her ring out of his safe this morning and put it on a chain around his neck. He was planning on wearing it all the time just waiting for the right opportunity to slip it back on her finger. He had faith that the opportunity would present itself soon.

"So, do you have any plans for tonight? I mean it is Friday and you usually have dinner with you parents."

"Richard and Emily are in Europe. They won't be back for another month. Rory is working tonight so no, I don't have anything planned."

"Come out to dinner with April and me. We have this little celebration scheduled and we both want you to join us, please?"

Lorelai was hesitant. "Are you sure? I mean won't Anna get upset? And, if it's a celebration, shouldn't it just be you and April?"

Luke sat back next to Lorelai as he explained, "April asked specifically if you could be there. And don't worry about Anna's reaction. Things have changed a little since, uh, before. I finally did what I should have done at the very beginning and worked out a formal custody agreement with Anna. We had lawyers and everything so it's all set and legal."

"April and I even had a second DNA test so that it is now legally recognized that I'm her father and she's my daughter. Anna and I now share custody, though of course, April will continue to live with her mother. This custody agreement just sets boundaries."

"Actually, the custody agreement was just finalized yesterday. That's what the celebration is about tonight. April and I are celebrating that we are "legal" father and daughter. Please come with us? We are going to Snuffy's and you know Maisy and Buddy will yell at me if I don't bring you. You don't want April to hear her father be yelled at, do you?"

"No," she smiled, "that would be bad."

"Good, so you'll come. April and I will pick you up around six. Please don't be late. I promised Anna to get April back home by nine." he pleaded.

* * *

Luke arrived at the Nardini house at six o'clock sharp. Anna answered the door and looked Luke over appreciatively. "He sure dresses better than when we were dating. "she thought. 

Luke was dressed in a dark silver and grey stripped shirt with an open collar and charcoal grey slacks. He had brought his leather jacket but left it in the truck.

She smiled as she said, "Hey Luke, don't you look good for your big date!"

"Thanks. How have you been?"

"I'm good. Take a seat, won't you. April isn't quite ready yet. You know how we women are. Can I get you something to drink, tea or water?"

"No thanks, I'm good."

Luke was fidgeting. He felt that he should brooch the subject of Lorelai coming to dinner with them but didn't know exactly how to bring it up. He figured that it would be better if Anna knew up front.

Anna was amused as she watched him. He seemed nervous. She liked that he was nervous around her, but she wasn't sure why. It wasn't that she was interested in him anymore, plus he was involved with that Lorelai woman.

Anna knew that Luke's relationship with Lorelai was a little rocky right now. Not that Luke had shared anything with either of the Nardini girls. April had heard some gossip around Stars Hollow when she was visiting and had shared the information with Anna. Actually all April knew is Lorelai is on an indefinite vacation but Anna understood what that implied. She felt a sense of satisfaction that April had not gotten really attached to Lorelai.

Anna spoke, "Luke, calm down. I'm sure April will just be a minute longer."

"Sure. It's just that we still have to go pick up Lorelai before we go to dinner and I don't want to be late bringing April home tonight."

"Oh, so Lorelai is going with you?" Anna said carefully. Evidently April's information was behind the times and Lorelai was back. Anna was trying to figure out how she felt about this latest development but right now she was just wary.

"Yes." Luke replied thinking well, she knows.

Just at that moment April appeared. Luke stood up when she walked in and smiled approvingly. "You look really nice, April, very grownup."

"Oh Luke!" She said blushing. Then she looked around and said, "Lorelai's not with you?" April wanted to make sure her mother knew that Lorelai was coming with them but hadn't figured out a way to tell her. Her mom was always a little weird about Lorelai.

"No we're going to get her now. I told her that we would pick her up at six which means there's a 50/50 possibility that she'll be ready when we get to her house at six thirty."

April giggled and then went over to her mom for a hug and kiss goodbye. Anna said, "Home by nine!"

April looked at her mother and responded, "Ten?"

Anna laughed and compromised, "Okay, nine thirty. Have a good time you two."

They left to go pickup Lorelai.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

Lorelai had just hung up the phone with Rory for the sixth time this evening. It was extremely inconsiderate of her daughter to be working while she was undergoing a fashion crisis. She needed Rory here to help her pick out the perfect outfit and Rory was off in some dungeon of a stupid newspaper! (Well, it wasn't exactly a dungeon but some place called the Tombs, which generated the image in her head of Rory chained in a dungeon.) Anyway, this "Tombs" got lousy cell reception hence the need for multiple calls. 

At least they had finally selected an outfit. It was very important to choose an outfit that makes the right statement. Since this is the first time that she would be with April and Luke alone, she wanted to look a little sexy (for Luke) but not really sexy (13 year olds were highly susceptible to embarrassment by the overt appearance of sexy in a parental figure) and fashionable (Anna does own a trendy boutique).

She and Rory finally had finally decided on her new Guava (pink) deep V-neck silk blend top with smocking and embroidered details with her new white wide waistband slide pocket pants paired with the gold bejeweled strappy sandals. She left her hair loose and curly. She took a look at her reflection in the mirror and was satisfied.

It was now 6:25 and she was finally ready. She knew when Luke told her 6:00 he really meant he would arrive at 6:15 to find her almost ready. She would still be searching for an elusive earring or shoe and still have to change purses (assuming she had found the right one for the evening) and locate her keys. That meant that they would be leaving at 6:30.

She really had intended to ready at 6:15 but for some reason she was stricken with a late round of morning sickness. But at least she was ready before 6:30 which meant he was late. Luke was never late. She didn't know what to do with herself while she waited for him. In all the history of their dating, she had never waited for him.

Unfortunately, waiting made her a little restive.

* * *

By the time that she heard the knock on the door she managed to work herself from restive to jumpy to worried to shaky and finally full out nervous. She was ready to lay into Luke for keeping her waiting when she opened the door. 

What she saw on the other side caused her mood to immediately swing a 180 degrees and Lorelai broke out laughing hysterically.

_(Tbc)_

**

* * *

A/N – Sorry, I am getting addicted to these cliffhangers but this is just a little one. **

**Hey, it's really your fault. When I use cliffhangers, I get more feedback and reviews. Those motive me to write and right now I need a little motivation because I'm getting tired (I have written a lot of words in the last couple of weeks.) **

**It boils down to the fact that you're rewarding me for by bad behavior (he he). If you keep rewarding me, I'll keep writing (at least to finish this story).**

**Debbie**


	11. Chapter 11 Beginning to Heal

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Beginning to Heal**

After Lorelai opened her front door, she broke out laughing hysterically at the sight before her.

There is Luke smartly dressed in his dark grey slacks and his silver and grey striped shirt with his arm protectively around the shoulders of his daughter.

Next to Luke stands April, who is dressed in an outfit that can only be described as the diminutive version of Lorelai's own current ensemble. April is wearing a Guava pink round neck top with smocking and embroidered details over a pair of white wide waistband slide pocket pants with gold bejeweled strappy sandals on her feet. She looks like a mini-Lorelai!

Lorelai begins to hiccup from laugher as April breaks into a girlish round giggles.

Luke's eyes widen when he first sees Lorelai. He quickly looks at April again then back to Lorelai before he asks laughingly, "Did you two plan this?"

April snickers as Lorelai casts a critical eye over Luke's attire and then replies with a twinkle in her eyes, "Well obviously you didn't read your memo. The uniform of the night is a pink top, white slacks, and jeweled sandals."

After the initial hilarity, Luke tries to persuade the girls that they all need to leave for dinner right now. Lorelai and April both are totally ignoring him as they are busy comparing color, texture, and brand labels of the various pieces of their outfits.

Suddenly Paul Anka decides to make an appearance. April and Paul Anka take one look at each other and it is love at first sight. April runs to pet him and Paul Anka immediately rolls on to his back at her feet for a tummy rub. April quickly complies.

Lorelai, after taking a moment to appreciate this scene, heads upstairs in a frantic search for her digital camera. She insists that it is imperative that this moment between April and Paul Anka be captured forever for posterity. Besides, she claims, Rory will kill her if there isn't a picture of her with April in their matching outfits.

Luke accepts begrudgingly this momentary defeat of his mission to leave for dinner and begins searching for the illusive camera. He knows Lorelai well enough not to waste time looking in the obvious places for it like the hall closet or the desk drawer. He heads into the kitchen.

After first eliminating the refrigerator and freezer and oven and dishwasher, he is finally triumphant in locating the camera wedged between the cleaning products in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. When he questions Lorelai to find out why on earth she had put the camera under the sink, she replies matter-of-factly that she must have left it there when she had been trying to get some pictures of Paul Anka.

Against his better judgment, he asks her to explain how taking pictures of Paul Anka could possibly lead to her storing the camera under the sink.

Looking at him like he is an idiot for not understanding something so obvious, Lorelai explains that to catch Paul Anka in a natural pose, she has to hide out of sight. So naturally she had tried to crawl in the cabinet. Unfortunately she wasn't able to squinch her body inside so the project had ended up a bust. Apparently she left the camera behind in the cabinet after she gave up the quest for the candid shots.

April listens to this the banter between Lorelai and her dad. There is a light, comfortable feel about it that April enjoys. They complement each other. She notes that there is a good vibe between them, not that she has had much of a chance to observe them together.

April had only met Lorelai twice before tonight. The initial time was during her first official visit with Luke at the diner. They had talked for a couple of minutes before Luke had reappeared. April had instantly sensed a lot of tension in the air when Luke walked in and had wondered what was up with that. Luke and Lorelai had gone outside almost immediately and April could tell that the conversation was less than pleasant for both of them. Then Lorelai had just left.

When Luke came back in, April could tell he was upset but he was trying to hide it. She had asked him who that woman was and he had simply said "Lorelai." That was the end of the discussion.

The next time she met Lorelai was at her birthday party though by then she knew a little more about her. Not that Luke or anyone had really ever said much about Lorelai directly to April but she had heard things. Plus she had already met Rory, Lorelai's daughter, at her cousin Jess's bookstore in Philadelphia.

After the birthday party April knew that she really liked Lorelai. Lorelai reminded her of her own mother but a little zanier. Plus all of April's friends at the party had declared Lorelai to be really cool. April understood the importance of acceptance of the parental figures in her life by her peers.

Her birthday party was the first real opportunity that April had to observe Luke with Lorelai and she had suddenly seen a different side to her father. After watching the two of them, April had decided that she definitely approved of their pairing. Luke had seemed so much more relaxed and cheerful. His cool factor had definitely increased with Lorelai around.

April suspected that Luke and Lorelai had a fight earlier this month. Luke had been in a bad mood and got visually upset if anyone mentioned Lorelai's name. Plus she heard that Lorelai had left on an indefinite vacation and some people were speculating that she might never come back. The whole town seemed kind of cross with Luke, so April suspected he wais at fault for the fight (if there was one).

Of course Luke had never said anything directly to April about it.

Then April had heard the discussion between her mother and Luke about Lorelai. Suddenly Luke's behavior made sense, sort of. Her mom didn't want Lorelai around her for some really bizarre reason. This obviously had caused tension between Luke and Lorelai. Sometimes her mother could be so anal about stuff.

When Luke applied for the legal custody agreement, April knew that her mom's attitude about Lorelai was one of the motivating factors. Her mom is still being weird about Lorelai but now she has to accept Lorelai as part of April's life with Luke.

April had only discovered that Lorelai was back in town this morning when she was talking to Luke about the plans for tonight. April had mentioned that she tried to reach him last night but couldn't get him. Luke apologized for not being accessible and explained that he was over at Lorelai's house and had forgotten his cell. That was when April had suggested that Lorelai join them tonight for dinner.

* * *

Now that the camera had been located, Luke was trying to corral the girls for the pictures. He foolishly believes that he merely has to snap a single picture of April with Paul Anka and another of Lorelai with April. Obviously he isn't thinking clearly. There is no way that Lorelai will allow it to be that simple.

After the initial picture of April rubbing Paul Anka belly is snapped, Lorelai decides that April and she must pose like showgirls on the stairs. That was only the first, then there are poses in front of the fireplace, on the sofa, leaning against the archway and finally a set of random shots of April and Lorelai re-enacting their favorite modeling poses.

Poor Paul Anka is dragged into the game for several more pictures and Lorelai expresses real regret that he has no pink shirt to wear. Finally, even Luke is forced to participate in the photo ops after Lorelai remembers that there is a timer feature on the camera.

All in all, about 15 photos are taken.

April asks if Lorelai could send her copies of the pictures since she would like to post some of them on her website. Lorelai agrees to ask Rory to do that since she is the only one who understands how to download the pictures from the camera to the computer. April volunteers that she knows how to do that. Lorelai immediately gets out her computer and logs on for April.

Next thing Luke knows April is downloading the pictures from the camera to Lorelai's computer and emailing copies of the photos to herself and to Rory. Lorelai is on the phone to Rory telling her to check her email for the pictures and Luke is loosing patience because it is now 7:15.

Finally at 7:20 he is able to drag the girls out to the truck and heads for Snuffy's Tavern.

* * *

When they arrive at Snuffy's, Maisy and Buddy greet them all enthusiastically. They are well acquainted with Lorelai and adore her but this is only the second time that they have met April. They are openly warm and enthusiastic toward April.

Maisy whispers a reprimand to Luke for not bringing April around more often as Buddy is teasing April in a very grandfatherly manner. The whole image of his "family" together is making Luke feel very sentimental so naturally he looks embarrassed. Lorelai leans over to give him a little kiss on the cheek and squeezes his arm reassuringly.

Maisy leads them to their booth. Lorelai makes sure that April is seated between Luke and her. She never wants Luke to feel that she is trying to come between April and him in any way.

Buddy brings them their drinks (without their ordering them, of course). He hands Luke a beer, places a coke with 3 cherries in front April and starts to set a glass of Lorelai's favorite wine in front of her when she raises her hand to stop him.

Smiling sweetly, Lorelai informs him that she is the designated driver for the evening. Buddy smiles that he understands and actually asks her what she wants to drink.

Lorelai requests a club soda.

Luke shoots her a questioning look when he hears her order a club soda. He had never seen Lorelai drink a club soda except when her stomach is upset.

Lorelai smiles innocently at him. Luke suddenly sees that though Lorelai is trying to appear bright and healthy, something in her eyes tells him that is not completely true.

Maisy's internal alert system is also activated when she hears Lorelai refuse the wine and order club soda. She scrutinizes Lorelai closer and is a little concerned. Lorelai looks thinner that she every remembered seeing her and her complexion appears sallow. Even her hair looks a little less glossy. All of this is adding up to make Maisy very suspicious.

Luke suddenly feels like someone is watching him. He looks over to see Maisy giving him that look. It is the same look that she gave him when the toaster had exploded in their kitchen.

Luke had been spending the weekend with Maisy and Buddy when he was a little younger that April. For some reason (he had gotten bored or something) he had taken their toaster apart to see how it worked. He thought that he put it back together correctly but never tested it to be certain.

The next morning when Buddy was making toast, the toaster had short circuited and almost started a fire. Buddy had cursed the shoddy workmanship of the Japanese but Maisy was staring at Luke with the same look that she is giving him now.

That look had caused Luke to jump up and admit that he caused the problem with the toaster. He immediately offered to pay for a replacement. Buddy had laughed and started to say that it wasn't necessary but Maisy had stopped him. Maisy stated that the boy needed to understand responsibility. If you break it you had to fix it. That had been a life lesson for Luke.

Suddenly he feels the overwhelming urge to stand up and admit to the mess he had caused in his relationship with Lorelai. He is holding himself back from openly declaring how he had really screwed up and hurt Lorelai which had caused her to end their engagement. He also wants to confess that Lorelai is pregnant with his baby but she isn't willing to marry him (at least yet) because he had hurt her so bad.

He suspected that if April hadn't been sitting right next to him at that moment, he would have spilled his guts out. Maisy's look is that powerful.

* * *

The dinner went well.They had gotten on to the topic of the Gilmore girls abnormal eating habits. Luke declares that he is the Gilmore girl expert in all things food related. April challenges his expertise.

Somehow this had become a game. April would name a food or combination of foods. Luke had to declare whether it is Gilmore acceptable or not. Lorelai, of course is the final arbitrator of the validity of his answers. So far, he is 100 percent acurate.

April finally reaches the point where she exhausts her knowledge of food combinations. Luke with his dry sense of humor begins making silly suggestions of food combinations that induces a round of laughter in April. Father and daughter were having a wonderful time.

It isn't as though Lorelai feels left out of their silliness but she isn't really laughing quite as robustly as Luke and April. Her constant mild nausea is now threatening escalation which is putting a damper on her enjoyment of the evening.

Lorelai gets up to discreetly go to the ladies room. Luke looks at her with concern but she smiles back that there is nothing to worry about.

Maisy has been watching the party closely all evening. She notices when Lorelai becomes a less active participant in the evening's merriment. Maisy observes the signs of distress that flash across her face before she can conceal them.

Maisy watches as Lorelai excuses herself to use the facilities and then notices that she walks a little too quickly into the ladies room. Maisy follows her discreetly and listens. She hears the sounds of intense vomiting through the door.

Maisy leaves to go to the kitchen. A few minutes later she returns with what looks like a Bloody Mary and walks into the ladies room. She waits until it sounds like Lorelai is done and then knocks on the door of the stall.

Lorelai responds with, "It's occupied."

Maisy replies delicately, "I know dear. I have something that might make you feel better."

Lorelai opens the door and looks at Maisy sheepishly, "I'm sorry; it's not because of your wonderful food. I seemed to have caught a bug or something and I have been nauseous for a couple of days now."

"Uh huh,' Maisy replies knowingly, "and when do you expect to give birth to this little bug?"

Lorelai's eyes get really big and she looks a little panic-stricken.

Maisy calmly says, "Don't try to fool me. I'm old enough that I can read the signs." Then she hands Lorelai the glass and says, "Drink this, hon, and see if it helps. Luke's mother Myra was sick as dog for the first four months she was carrying him. She tried all the standard treatments but nothing worked. We all were really worried about her. Then this old women in the town suggested that instead of the usual remedies to neutralize the acid such of crackers and soda water, she should try the opposite. Myra found that a glass of pureed tomatoes, the more acid in them the better, was the only thing that worked. Try it."

Lorelai politely takes the glass and hesitantly sips the concoction. Tomatoes are one of Lorelai's least favorite fruits (or are they vegetables?). She doesn't particularly even like tomato juice unless it is mixed with vodka in the form of a Bloody Mary.

Oddly, that first sip doesn't make her gag. She takes another swallow and finds it kind of tasty. Next thing she knows she had consumed the entire contents of the glass and she actually feels better. Not perfect but definitely less queasy.

Lorelai thanks Maisy sheepishly with a hug for the remedy.

Maisy gives her a big squeeze back and tells her that she better get back to the table before Luke and April gets worried. She ended by telling Lorelai that she expects to finally be invited to that wedding very soon.

Lorelai simply smiles and returns to the table.

When she gets back she sees that Luke and April have been joined by Buddy. Now they all are laughing heartily at some joke. Luke glances at Lorelai with concern but she smiles back that she is okay.

Luke then points out that it is now a ten to nine and that they need to leave. Goodbyes are said with hugs and the promise that they all will be back soon. When Maisy hugs Luke, she gives him the look again which causes him to make a mental note to come back and have a talk with Maisy very soon.

All in all it has been a wonderful evening.

* * *

They pull up to the Nardini house just a little after 9:20. Lorelai and April hug and say their goodbyes in the truck. Luke then escorts April to the front door.

Before April could even get her key out, Anna has opens the door. Suddenly there is an indisputable chill in the air. Unconsciously, Luke checks the clock mounted on the wall of the Nardini household to make sure that it is not after 9:30. The clock reads 9:26.

April eyes her mother suspiciously. Though Anna is smiling, there is look of irritation in her eyes. That look pisses off April for some reason (not that a teenager really needed a reason to get pissed at a parent). She then purposefully hugs Luke really tight and loudly proclaims, "Thanks Dad! I had the best time with you AND Lorelai tonight. Let's do this again really soon.

Luke hugs her tightly back and blurts out softly "I love you" before he realizes what he is saying. It isn't as if he doesn't mean it because he does. It is just that he had never said that to her before and the last place he would have planned to say it is here and now.

His eyes shoot up to glance at Anna. He can tell that this little intimate exchange between April and he is not appreciated by Anna in the least. She looks like she wants to kill him now.

Anna, trying to disguise her fury, ushers April into the house and bids Luke a chilly goodbye.

Once in the house, April first tries to ignore her mother. Unfortunately, Anna is feeling too territorial to allow her daughter to simply say good night and head off to bed. She insists that they talk about April's evening.

April relents and starts to recap the events. She carefully leaves out any reference to the accidental choice by both Lorelai and she of similar outfits April's instinct tells her that her mother will not find the coincidence amusing. Unfortunately, April's instinct, though correct, is not quite astute enough to pickup on the fact that her mother already knows of the accidental outfit coincidence.

Anna had already seen the pictures in April's email.

* * *

Anna had reluctantly allowed April to have her own computer with the following stipulation. She had to have full access to monitor and arbitrarily judge the appropriateness of any website April visited, or any chats that April participated in, or any emails sent and received (of course, spam is not held against April).

If she feels that April is abusing the privilege of a computer, Anna retains the right to remove the computer and cancel the internet access account at any time. She has even installed an activity logging software to keep track of track everything: the Internet URLs visited, keystrokes in email, chats and all applications, programs April ran and the duration in every application. Anna also has access to April's email and actively reads and monitors all incoming mail.

Tonight, with April out for the evening with Luke, Anna took advantage of the time to read April's email.

When she saw the pictures of her daughter along side Lorelai in what could only be described as twin mother/daughter outfits, Anna had blown a gasket. This was the image of her worst nightmare come to life.

That persistent anxiety that Anna had begun to feel ever since she discovered that April had found Luke is now proving to be a harbinger of destruction of the carefully planned life she had built for April and her. Well, she is not about to let that happen.

* * *

Luke and Lorelai had driven to her house in compatible silence. When they got out of the truck, he had wrapped his arm around her to escort her to the house. It all felt so natural.

"This is the way it should always be," thought Luke.

As they reached the front door, he begins to feel a little awkward. Before, he would have automatically got out his key, unlocked the door and led her inside.

Now, though they had agreed that they were officially dating again, Luke is wary of pushing Lorelai to fast. He has vowed to himself to let her set the pace.

He turns to Lorelai and pulls her close for a goodnight kiss. The kiss starts out warm and tender but quickly deepens to hot and passionate. Their hands are roaming and caressing as the fire within both of them is ignited.

When Luke reluctantly ends the kiss, he continues to hug her as he softly whispers in her ear, "Thanks for coming with us tonight. You made the evening very special!"

Summoning all his strength, Luke starts to release her from the hug. As much as he wants to stay locked in her arms all night, he knows that she needs her rest. He is going to force himself to leave but Lorelai has a different idea.

With her arms still around his neck, Lorelai looks directly in his eyes with a mischievous glint in hers, "Where do you think you're going? " She reaches for his hand and places it on her stomach. "Do you really intend to leave your innocent baby alone with a hormonal crazy lady all night?"

Luke smiles back beaming. "I wouldn't be much of a father if I did that, would I?"

* * *

Later, as they lay spooning in her bed, Luke finds himself fantasizing about Lorelai holding the hand of a little girl who looks a little like April but with big blue eyes and Lorelai's nose. She sees them running to him and he picks both of them up and spins them around laughing.

Lorelai, too, is fantasizing. Only in her dream she sees a little boy with dark curly hair and a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. He has the hint of the strong chin to come and a wickedly charming smile that melts her heart. She sees him in the arms of his father as they both reach to surround her in a loving embrace.

Luke and Lorelai fall peacefully to sleep with smiles on the faces.


	12. Chapter 12 Tentatively Together

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 12 – Tentatively Together **

Luke is in the midst of an extremely deep sleep when Lorelai's tossing and turning disturbs him. He unconsciously throws an arm over her trying to still her restlessness. His sleep laden mind merely wants to stop the bed from shaking.

That's why he's stunned when he's awaken by Lorelai kicking him as she throws his arm off of her and attempts to vault out of bed.

Unfortunately, one of her legs is partially encased in the sheets when she makes the attempt to unceremoniously hurtle from the bed thus causing her to fall hard to the floor. After quickly disengaging her leg, she half stumbles, half crawls into the bathroom.

Luke's confused and sleep dulled brain is completely dumfounded by the scene he had just witnessed until he recognizes the sound of vomiting coming from the bathroom. Suddenly it all makes sense.

Feeling a mixture of compassion and guilt for Lorelai's onslaught of morning sickness, Luke follows her into the bathroom. There he witnesses her kneeling down with her face in the toilet as her stomach muscles visibly convulse causing another round of vomiting. It is not a pretty sight.

Without any real clue how he can help, Luke does the only thing he can think of and kneels next to her to hold her hair out of the way while he gentle rubs her back. Feeling just about as worthless as a glass of water for a drowning man, Luke just waits and watches Lorelai suffer.

Eventually, the attack subsides, leaving her weak and exhausted. Luke watches as Lorelai rests her head on the toilet seat and breathes heavily. Perspiration dots her face with the sweat soaking her scalp. Her bed clothes are damp and clinging to her body.

Luke wants to get her back to bed but when he attempts to help her up, she protests by raising her left hand and weakly waving him away. She looks so pitiful with her ashen face and red teary eyes as she clings to the commode for support.

He gets up to retrieve a blanket to throw over her to prevent her from chilling. He also fills a glass with water and dampens a washrag. Luke wraps the blanket around her shoulders as he wipes her face and neck with the cloth. Finally he tries to lift her head to get her to drink the water.

Lorelai just pushes the glass away.

"Come on Lorelai," he pleads, "you have to drink something. You're dehydrated."

Lorelai shakes her head slightly without raising it from the toilet seat where it is resting.

"Please, just a sip." he begs.

"No." she responds with a weak and very hoarse voice.

"You want some club soda? I can get you some club soda."

"No. Tomato juice. "she replies with a voice so gravely that he can hardly understand. He swore she just asked for tomato juice.

"What? You want tomato juice?"

"Yes, fresh tomato juice." she whispers.

"Okay," he agrees classifying this as a weird pregnancy craving. "But I'll have to go to the diner to make it. I won't leave with you lying here. You have to get up first."

That said, he helps her up and half carries her back to bed. She practically falls over when he sits her down. Luke goes over to the dresser to get her something clean and dry to put on but when he gets back to the bed, she looks like she has fallen to sleep.

Standing there next to the bed unsure of what to do, Luke finally decides to just cover her up. As he pulls the sheet over her, she opens one eye and mumbles hoarsely, "tomato juice."

"Okay, I'm off. I'll be back as quickly as possible." Luke moves the trash can next to the bed just in case, grabs his keys and practically runs out of the house.

As he drives over to the diner, Luke says out loud to no one, "This is crazy. Here I am at" stopping to look at the time, "nearly 3:45 in the morning going to make fresh tomato juice for my very pregnant, very nauseous wif...er, girlfriend."

He suddenly realizes that he already thinks of Lorelai as his wife not just his girlfriend. He has never thought of any woman as his wife, not even Nicole, who was legally his wife. "Wow" is all he can think to say.

When he gets to the diner, he unlocks the door and turns on the light before he rushes back into the kitchen. Grabbing a handful of tomatoes from the frig, he quickly begins to wash and peel them. Then he jams them into the blender, thinks about it for a second and throws in some ice cubes then starts pulverizing.

While he watches the blender, Luke mentally tries to calculate the nutritional value of the tomato juice. There's a little protein, carbohydrates, iron, fiber, vitamin A, C, and B6, some calcium and folic acid, that's good for a pregnant woman, some sodium and potassium plus that lycopene cancer preventing stuff. All in all, for a pregnancy craving, this ranks really high as far a Luke is concern. If Lorelai wants tomato juice, he will make sure she gets all the tomato juice she can drink.

He snatches a few more tomatoes and sacks them in case he needs to make more juice, pours the newly made tomato juice into some to go cups, and leaves the kitchen where he is stunned to see Kirk sitting at the counter.

"Kirk, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I want breakfast."

"Leave, Kirk, the diner isn't open."

"But the door is unlocked and the lights are on."

"Kirk, get out before I throw you out. NOW!"

Kirk scurries out the door with Luke following behind. He turns off the lights and locks the door before jumping in the truck with the sack of tomatoes and the cups of tomato juice. He's anxious to return to Lorelai as quickly possible.

When he walks back into the bedroom, he sees Lorelai curled up under the covers apparently asleep. He doesn't want to disturb her so he sits the juice down as quietly as possible on the table next to her.

When he looks at her again, he is startled to find her eyes open and he's concern to see that she looks like she could get sick again at any moment. Lorelai then sits up and reaches for the tomato juice. She takes a sip and waits.

Nothing happens, at least not anything bad, so she takes another sip. Waits again and then chugs the entire contents of the cup.

Luke is amazed at the instant transformation. Sure, she still looks pale but suddenly there is a flicker of the old spunky Lorelai back in her eyes. Obviously, the tomato juice is really miracle juice.

Luke asks, "Better?"

Lorelai looks up at him and smiles (weakly but smiles) and croaks out in her current raspy voice "Yeah, thanks. Water please?"

"Plain or club soda?"

"Plain."

Luke gets her the glass of water from the bathroom and hands it to her. She drinks it down immediately.

Luke is relieved to see Lorelai appears to be able to keep both the tomato juice and the water down. That is definitely a good sign.

Lorelai changes out of the grody, clammy clothes that she's currently wearing into the clean, dry clothing that Luke had got out for her early. Then she gets up and washes her face and brushes her teeth. Looking in the mirror, she is appalled at the ghostly image that stares back at her. "Well," she thinks to herself, "at least I feel more human."

Luke who has been standing around waiting to see what Lorelai is going to do, watches as she crawls back into bed. She turns to him smiling and slapps the pillow on his side of the bed. Luke obeys by getting into bed and pulls her close under his arm to snuggle.

His curiosity gets the better of him and he has to ask, "How did you know that tomato juice would make you feel better?"

"Your mother. Apparently, you made her sick, too; must be something about the Danes' genes. " she whispers and then realizes how that sounded. Lorelai wants to explain better but her throat is really sore from all the puking.

All Luke says is, "My mother? How…?"

"Maisy told me."

"Why would Maisy tell you that?" Luke asks while his mind starts clicking. He remembers Lorelai leaving the table during dinner and she looked a little peaked right before that. "Did you get sick during dinner?"

Lorelai shrugs.

"Lorelai, you have to tell me these things, no matter what. You can't keep these things from me. If you feel sick or have cravings or just feel bad, you must tell me, okay? I need to know everything. We're in this together

Maybe it was just because she's tired and still feels kind of icky or maybe it's because she's feeling kind of cantankerous at the moment, but his little speech sounded too much like some sort of dictate. It struck a wrong nerve when it reminded her of his "no secrets" speech.

Lorelai responds to him with an enigmatic smile but behind that cryptic look she is actually thinking, "You can demand whatever the hell you want, but I'll decide what I want to tell you. I'll start telling you everything when you start telling me everything."

* * *

Luke's internal alarm woke him at five. He has no intention of leaving Lorelai this morning since it has only been less than an hour since she got back to sleep. Though she appears to be sleeping soundly, he's still worried. 'The hell with the diner," he thinks to himself, "Caesar will be in at 8:30. He can open."

Making a mental note to call Caesar by 7:30 to explain, Luke let himself fall back to sleep.

Luke has this uncanny ability to just wake up automatically at whatever time he decides. It doesn't always work so he does use an alarm for backup but rarely does he really need it. Normally if he decides that he needs to wake up at a certain time, he just will.

Today unfortunately, his internal alarm was wacko. He didn't wake up until he felt Rory shake him. He opens his eyes and sees her standing over him holding the phone. She whispers, "It's Caesar."

Luke looks over to Lorelai and is relieved to see her still sleeping soundly. He gets out of bed and follows Rory out of the room.

He takes the phone and talks with Caesar. He apologizes for not calling him. Evidently there was an angry crowd outside the diner when Caesar arrived and he is now feeling persecuted. Luke had to promise him a little bonus just to get him to shut up.

* * *

When Caesar hangs up the phone, he is confronted with a diner full of inquisitive customers staring at him. Miss Patty, Babette, Tilly, Gypsy, Andrew, Bob, Taylor, Kirk, and few dozen other towns' people had been discussing Luke and Lorelai while they all had stood around outside of the closed diner all morning. By the time Caesar had arrived, the group had worked themselves up into a frenzy of desperation for more information.

They are all dying of curiosity. Ever since Kirk had informed everyone of Luke's strange behavior in the diner earlier this morning the topic of Lorelai and Luke had once again become center stage in all discussions. Not that it hadn't already been topic one on everyone's agenda.

Apparently, according to Kirk, Luke had been making some sort of dark, mysterious potion to manipulate Lorelai in the wee hours of the morning. It was either that or as Caesar theorized, Luke had been mixing a Bloody Mary (Caesar found the blender soaking in the sink with what looked like the remains of tomato juice). Miss Patty and Babette speculated that Luke and Lorelai had been participating in a wild night of drunken sex.

Actually, the saga of Lorelai and Luke had been the main topic of discussion for the last month in Stars Hollow. The town's people had rehashed the entire story from the first appearance of April to the present day over and over and over again.

All known clues had dissected, anatomized, dichotomized, bisected, and analyzed by nearly everyone. Speculations and theories were running rampant. Facts had become almost indistinguishable from conjecture. Everyone seemed to have a different opinion on the causes of the breakup of the golden couple with one noted exception. There was pretty much a consensus of opinion in town that Anna was the villain in the story for keeping April from Luke.

No one knew where Lorelai had spent the last month though most people in town now accepted the theory that she had been institutionalized in a very private upscale sanitarium by her family after experiencing a nervous breakdown.

Luke's own short period of isolation following the breakup was now regarded as the result of an attempted suicide that had failed. Jess's sudden reappearance in town (boy, had that caught everyone off guard) had only added fuel to the suicide speculation. When Luke had finally emerged in public, after nearly a week of hiding, with bruises and in physical pain the town felt they had confirmation of the theory. The current accepted belief is that he had attempted to throw himself off of lover's leap.

The theory that Lorelai was in a mental institution had been supported by Luke's own strange behavior. In the past month, he had been spotted several times leaving town during the day time, mysteriously wearing a business suit. The speculation was that he was visiting Lorelai in this hospital and, of course, everyone knew that expensive mental institutions that people like the Gilmore family would choose would have a dress code for visitors.

Then there is the question of the intrigue surrounding the letters that Luke had received from some law firm. There are two main schools of thought on that. One believes that Gilmore's are suing Luke for causing Lorelai's collapse (alienation of affection). The other believes that Gilmore's had beenholding Lorelai captive in the mental institution and Luke is suing them to release her.

Speculation had gone wild last Thursday when everyone in town spotted Lorelai driving home. The whole town seemed to be holding their collective breath waiting to see what would happen next. No one ventured to talk to either Lorelai or Luke but took a wait and see stance. They were rewarded for their patience.

It had been reported by several sources that Lorelai had been spotted that Thursday night at the diner talking with Luke after closing in her pajamas no less. Then the couple had spent the night together at Lorelai's house.

The oddest incident was reported by Babette, who claimed that she had seen Luke just sitting on the steps of the porch for nearly an hour (her original story had him sitting there less than 15 minutes) that Thursday night. No one could really come up with a plausible explanation of that behavior.

Friday morning, Luke had been in an exceptionally good mood, well good if one compared it to his mood for the last few weeks. Then Lorelai and Rory had appeared in the diner. It seemed for a while that the couple might be back on track though it was noted that the engagement ring was missing from her finger.

Then Lorelai had bolted from the diner and disappeared (again) for most of the rest of the day. Rory and Luke were also missing during that time. Everyone in town felt a sense of déjà vu. Lorelai had run away and Luke was hiding.

Relief and joy was felt by all when Lorelai had been seen returning to her home and Luke had reappeared at the diner later Friday afternoon. Speculation was high that something major had happened between them since Luke's demeanor was almost cheerful.

Babette had wavered between a desire to have a little neighborly chat with Lorelai that afternoon and staying completely clear of any contact. After all Lorelai had been home 24 hours now and it was not normal that Babette had not visited yet. Then on the other hand, Babette knew of Lorelai's reaction to Patty's attempt for a tête-à-tête and did not want to initiate another panic attack. It was quite a conundrum.

Babette had chosen just to watch and wait.

The drama started building last evening when Luke was came out of his apartment all dressed up and left. The initial thought was that he is taking Lorelai out but then he drives out of town without her. There had been panic through out the Hollow and resentment against Luke was at an all time high.

About an hour later he is spotted back in town and at Lorelai's with April in tow. That was big! The entire town had gathered at Miss Patty's which ks the official command post for tracking the Lorelai and Luke mystery. (At Kirk's insistence, they had begun recording all information on a time line posted on the wall much like he saw on that TV show about finding missing people.)

Last night there was a wild speculation that Luke and Lorelai were eloping! Great joy was felt in Stars Hollow until Lorelai and Luke had been spotted returning home around 10. Most believers conceded that the couple would never spend their wedding night at home. Then when Rory was spotted coming home at around 1:30, all hope died. No way would Rory sleep in the house with the honeymooning couple.

There is a consensus in town that these two should just suck it up and get married. They have the rest of their lives to work out all their issues and all this stalling and delay is just stupid.

Earlier in the month, Kirk had even suggested the idea of marriage by proxy. (Lulu had told him how olden times future Kings and Queens would be married without ever having met. Substitutes for the bride and groom would participate in the wedding ceremonies.) The proxy idea had been embraced by some of the town for a while and the idea of a proxy wedding was actually being played with until Taylor pointed out that it would not be valid in modern day Connecticut.

Miss Patty suggested that they simply get Lorelai and Luke plastered. She knew of many happy couples who had tied the knot totally wasted.

There is currently a tentative plan in the works that if nothing positive happens with this couple by July 4 that the town is going to take over. They will get the couple plastered on Founder's Day punch (two glasses each should do the trick) at the annual Independence Day celebration and then the town will throw them a wedding. Luckily there is no waiting period for marriage licenses in Connecticut.

With Caesar unable to provide much new information other than Luke did not expect to be in the diner today, the group decides to adjourn temporarily and relocate to Miss Patty's. They have a lot of planning to do if they intend to throw a surprise wedding on July 4th for Luke and Lorelai. For one thing, it is time to bring Sookie on board with the plans since she will be the key to the success of the project.

* * *

Luke is embarrassed that Rory saw him in bed with Lorelai. He knows it is stupid that it bothers him but for some reason he still thinks of Rory as the sweet innocent little girl he first met. He doesn't want her thinking about him sleeping with her mother.

Rory, on the other hand, is thrilled to know that Luke spent the night with Lorelai again. The past month had been hell for her mother; actually the past several months had been hell. Rory is overjoyed that Luke and Lorelai seemed to be mending their relationship quickly.

After some internal debate, Luke decides to have a little talk with Rory. He goes downstairs and finds her sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee. She grins at him when he walks in (Mom's right, she thought, he looks cute in his tee shirt and sweat pants).

Luke walks nervously over and opens the refrigerator. "Not a damn thing to eat." he thinks to himself making a mental note to go shopping immediately and get some real food in this house. He gets out a glass and fills it with water then sits down at the table with Rory.

"Rory," he starts hesitantly, "I don't want to say anything that puts you in the middle because, well she's your mom, but I want you to know that I love her and want her in my life more than anything. I was so stupid and I hurt her but I am trying to make it right."

Rory chose not to verbally respond but her face told him that she agreed that he had been stupid.

"I want you to know that I would marry you mother today if she would have me. And it's not because of the baby."

"I will be there for my child whether your mother and I can make it work or not. I am trying to be a good father to April and I don't really feel anything for her mother. I mean I respect Anna and I am trying to work with her but I don't feel anything for Anna like I feel for your mom."

"I just don't exactly know what I can do to prove to your mother that she can trust me. If you can think of something, I would really like to hear your idea but don't do or say anything that would make you uncomfortable. Like I said, I don't want to put you in the middle. This is my problem not yours."

Rory got up and walks over to Luke and gives him a big hug. "You know she does trust you, it's the situation she doesn't trust."

Luke looks at her perplexed.

"You know Mom is really confident and self-assured about most things except when it comes to relationships. Grandma and Grandpa and a few other people have really done a real number on her."

"She always feels any failure in a relationship is her fault because she always feels that somehow she lets everyone down. Her mind logically may know that she didn't do anything but deep down she will always feel responsible because she always thinks of herself as just a major disappointment."

"Mom loves you and is in love with you. She has never been in love before with anyone. That's very scary for her."

"She feels that she screwed up not you. Note, I am referring to feelings not thinking. Mom feels she is at fault for the relationship breaking apart, because she's not good enough and doesn't deserve to be loved. It's not just you she doesn't trust, she doesn't trust herself to be worthy of being happy with you."

"Keep doing what you have been doing. Make sure that she feels apart of all aspects of your life. Talk to her, share everything that is going on with her, don't try to protect or sugar coat the truth."

"Once she is confident that you aren't keeping things from her, she'll trust you and hopefully, the relationship. When you get to that point, don't wait. Just run off and get married. Don't give her anytime to think about it. If you do, she'll find a way of talking herself out of it."

Rory start gathering up the paper she had been reading. "I have to go back to work now. Suddenly I am essential at the Gazette. I think it has to do with the fact the half of the staff is on vacation. Anyway, I have to cover two positions today. Tell Mom I'll call later."

As Rory started to head out of the room, she turned back with one additional thought. "You know she won't make it easy for you, don't you? I mean she may feel deep down inside it was her fault but she still will make you pay for the way you handled everything, don't you? I mean she is a Gilmore, we all have a little vindictive streak in us."

Luke looked at her and laughed. "Oh yes, I would expect nothing less from Lorelai. She has always made me suffer anytime I was stupid. I'm ready to take my medicine."

* * *

Anna had just got off the phone with her friend Donna. She would have to wait a couple more hours before she could make the next call.

She had spent almost all night working out the details in her head. It really wasn't as complicated as someone might have imagined. This option had been available to her long before Luke walked back into her life and upset everything she had arranged. Anna had just never chosen to exploit the opportunity before since she loved her life in Connecticut.

Now Luke and that woman were trying to ruin everything.

If everything worked as she planned, Luke Danes might still be a factor in her and April's life but definitely only a minor aspect. She could deal with that.

(Tbc)


	13. Chapter 13 Sealing the Cracks

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Sealing the Cracks **

Lorelai wakes shortly before noon and looks around. No Luke, but next to her on the bedside table she finds the fresh glass of tomato juice sitting in a cup of ice that he left for her. Stuck on the glass is a little note that says "Hope you don't need this, but just in case…"

She smiles as she reaches for the juice. Unfortunately she does need it, though not desperately, but she is feeling really queasy, so queasy that she can classify it as bordering on nauseous.

As she drinks the tomato juice, Lorelai is thinking, "He does care and he's trying so hard but…" Unfortunately, there is always the "but".

She isn't sure exactly what comes after the "but". That's what's scares her so much, what is coming after the 'but".

Her feelings are all over the map and she knows it. "Damn hormones!" she curses silently except she's not completely sure that she can blame all her erratic emotions on the pregnancy. Early this morning she decided her problem is that she is manic-depressive (or is it bipolar?) especially when it comes to relationships.

"Luke is better off without me" she laments to herself, "but (there's that word again) now I'm carrying his baby so he's stuck with me. I should just give the baby to him after it's born. He's a good father and he'll take care it and will protect it from its crazy mother."

All of a sudden she feels like crying. Only not just crying but a full-fledge, all out deluge of blubbering waterworks. Feeling like this makes her angry, not only does she want to cry but also she wants rip up something (anything) or maybe hit something.

The angrier she gets the weepier she gets and the weepier she gets the angrier. Lorelai is trapped in a vicious swirling spiral headed down.

So now not only is she manic-depressive she decides, but also psychotic or is it schizophrenic? (She's not really up on her mental illness terminology.) She is certain though, that she needs to be heavily medicated, strapped in a straight jacket, and placed in a rubber room.

Any minute now, she will start screaming and the nice men in white will come and stick her with the needle full of medicine that Tom Cruise will not approve of. Then she will head into la-la land and stop being weepy and angry and so crazy.

* * *

Luke is watching her, not creepy watching, just checking on her. In fact he has been checking on her every fifteen or twenty minutes since around ten. He knows that she needs her sleep, so he is letting her sleep as long as she can. 

The problem is that he wants her to wake up because he misses her. "Okay Danes," Luke tells himself, "you're becoming kind of sickening and schmaltzy. Get a hold of yourself, man."

Actually he does enjoy watching Lorelai sleep, though he will never admit that to anyone, even Lorelai. (Well maybe to Lorelai, but only if she forces him to by using her irresistible womanly wiles.) It is just that he likes the "awake" version of Lorelai more. Her energy, her laughter, her teasing all makes him happy. Plus he likes to touch her (dirty yes, but not just in dirty ways) and if he touches her while she is sleeping he might wake her up.

So he is watching and waiting for her to wake up.

He happens to be looking in when she opens her eyes. He sees her sit up and he sees her read the note and drink the juice. "Crap, I was hoping that she wouldn't be nauseous again." he thinks to himself.

He watches as her expression changes first to a smile then to frustration then to sad followed by angry and back to sad. He has no idea what is going on in her head but decides he better get in there and figure it out.

Luke pushes the door completely open and says in his warmest, most caring voice, "Good morning, sleepyhead!"

Lorelai throws his pillow at him, bursts into tears, and buries her face in her own pillow.

"Okay," he thinks to himself, "Warning, Will Robinson, warning. We are about to enter the crazy hormonal zone." Luke now ventures where all men fear to tread.

* * *

Anna spent last night thinking and planning. She is obsessed with the idea. She put together a list of six steps that had to work together if her idea is to have a chance at success. Anyone else reading this list might find it cryptic but to her it is a plan of action. 

1. Donna

2. Sally Ride

3. Eleanor Michaels

4. Mirkan

5. April

6. Permission slip

The first step is to talk with Donna, one of her closest friends and associates. Donna also works with Anna in the boutique, covering for her whenever she can't be at the store.

She is first on the list because Anna values her opinion, at least she did until today. Donna did not embrace the plan as Anna had hoped she would. In fact, Donna had indicated that she feels Anna is overreacting and is possibly acting crazy.

After explaining the situation, Donna begrudgingly agrees that April appears to be developing an attachment to Luke and his family. The problem is that Donna does not see this as some omen of destruction. She views this as a good thing.

Anna can't believe that Donna doesn't understand how disastrous this situation is.

Donna tries to calm Anna down and get her to see reason (as she puts it) but Anna is adamant. Luke is trying to steal April from her and she can not let that happen. April is her life and she is fighting for her life.

Donna agrees to do as Anna asks only because she feels the plan is absolutely too insane to ever work and figures that Anna will come to her senses soon. There is no way that April will agree to this and Anna will have to give it up.

Next Anna contacts the Sally Ride Science Camp. April really wanted to attend this camp during the summer session that is being held at Stanford University but was rejected because her application arrived too late.

Anna had forgotten to mail the application for two weeks. It might have been a Freudian slip on her part since she wasn't happy about sending April all the way to California for a ten day camp. Even though the session is designed for girls entering the 8th and 9th grades, Anna feels that April is too young.

Unfortunately, April inherited her mother's strong determination and evidentially wore her down until Anna agreed to send the application. It was merely an oversight that she mailed it in two weeks late.

April is not accepted because the session is full but they do put her name on a waitlist. Last week, Anna received notification that a space had become available. She called them today and now April is officially enrolled (pending receipt of the tuition) for the July 9 through July 18 session at Stanford University.

Her next call is to Eleanor Michaels. Anna met Eleanor a couple of years ago while on a buying trip at the Atlanta market. They hit it off and have kept in touch ever since.Eleanor owns a consulting organization, Michaels' Marketing, that specializes in working with small independent boutiques like Anna's.

She reaches Eleanor and they talk like old friends, catching up on news and such. Then Anna offhandedly mentions her idea, making it seem as though it is just a casual thought and not one that she contemplated and deliberated about for hours.

Eleanor jumps at the idea, just as Anna had hoped. Anna maneuvers her through the discussion making it appear as if it is all Eleanor's concept. The trickiest task was negotiating and reaching acceptable terms. In the end the call was very successful.

Things are fitting into place. Now it is time to call the Mirkan School.

* * *

Since before daybreak, April has been sitting next to the local stream monitoring and tabulating crayfish, as they are called in Connecticut (down south they're crawdads). 

April is busy documenting the decrease of the population of Orconectes virilis (native Connecticut crayfish) in the local stream. She believes the Orconectes rusticus (transplanted crayfish) are crowding out the locals and seriously affecting the environmental balance. She intends to present her findings to the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

She explained this project to Luke and Lorelai last night. Luke found it interesting (he is very concern with the environment she has found) though he admitted the only thing he really knows about crayfish is how to catch them.

He told her how as a small boy he and some friends would take string and tie bacon on the end to catch them. After they caught them, they would throw the crayfish back since they didn't really know what to do with them. The fun was in the catching, he guessed.

Luke asked a lot of good questions about her project. He really seemed enthusiastic and April considered asking him if he wanted to join her this morning but she decided against it. Her mom probably would freak out.

April doesn't understand her mother's apprehension with Luke but she knows that Anna gets really snippy and agitated whenever April is around Luke too much or talks about Luke too much. So she has learned to tone down her comments about Luke and Stars Hollow.

April is pleasantly surprised that Lorelai took an interest in her environmental project also though not to the same extent as Luke. Lorelai listened attentively and even asked some questions. Though April could see that some of her descriptions made Lorelai uncomfortable and squeamish, she didn't space out like her mother does every time April tries to talk about crayfish.

* * *

Luke approaches Lorelai cautiously. He says nothing else knowing full well that anything he says will be wrong. He simply lies down on his side of the bed and begins to gently rub her back with his hand. 

Lorelai yells at him to go away.

Luke says nothing but continues to rub her back.

Within a few minutes, Lorelai ceases sobbing and becomes quiet. She continues to lie with her face buried in the pillow.

Luke suspects that she is now too embarrassed to move. He reaches across the bed and forces her to roll over on her back and then he pulls her under his arm. They lay like that for a few minutes until he breaks the silence, "I am thinking we might catch a movie this afternoon, maybe two. What do you think?"

Lorelai doesn't look at him as she asks in her still really hoarse voice, "You want to go to the movies with me?"

Yikes," he thinks but doesn't say it "her voice sounds really painful. She really shouldn't talk." What he does say is "I just asked you, didn't I?"

"But I'm acting crazy?"

"You've always been crazy."

"You want to go to the movies with me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because we haven't been to a movie in a while and this is a rare opportunity. You have laryngitis and can't talk all the way through it. I might actually have a chance to hear the dialogue."

Lorelai smiles and rolls over to look at him and then punches him lightly in the chest.

Luke feigns pain as he gasps "Aw!" Then he kisses her on the top of her head, slaps her lightly on her thigh and gets up saying, "So, that's a yes? Good. You get dressed and I'll make you some breakfast. When you're ready, come down to eat and we can argue over which movie to see."

* * *

April completes her observations for the day and heads home to eat. Her mother is working at the store so April will have to fend for herself for lunch. She's used to that. 

When she gets home, she sticks her head in the refrigerator and tries to figure out something to eat. Nothing looks good.

The problem is that she is in the mood for a cheeseburger. Actually, she is in the mood for a Luke's cheeseburger. Luke makes exceptionally good cheeseburgers.

She wishes that he would teach her how to make them but he says she too young. Heck he won't even let her walk in the diner's kitchen. She's thirteen for cripes sake! She's not a baby.

April considers riding her bike to the diner to get a cheeseburger but decides against it. For one thing, it will take too long and she is starving. Two, if her mother finds out, April suspects that she will be mad.

She finds some hamburger in the meat drawer and there's some cheddar cheese slices in with the deli. April checks to see if they have any hamburger buns in the freezer and finds a package.

Well, Luke may think she's too young to cook but her mother doesn't.April makes soup (out of can) all of the time. She also makes scrabbled eggs and grilled cheese. Surely she can fry up a cheeseburger.

Though what's a cheeseburger without French fries? April checks to see if there is a package of frozen fries in the freezer. Drat, there isn't any.

Then she remembers that her mom has some raw potatoes. She has watched Luke fry potatoes enough times that she has the basic idea.

First she cleans and peels the potatoes and slices them into French fry sizes. Then she sets them in a bowl of cold water with just a drop of lemon juice for acid because she knows that oxidation will turn raw potatoes brown.

Now she gets out her mom's biggest saucepan and pours cooking oil in the pan and heats it. She has the burner set on high because she knows the oil must get hot before she can add the potatoes.

Next she makes the hamburger patty. She decides to wait until the vegetable oil is hot enough to put the potatoes in before she starts to fry the burger.

Suddenly the phone rings and she runs to answer it. It's her mom checking to make sure she got home alright. They start talking for a few minutes then April suddenly realizes that the room is getting kind of smoky. Just then, the smoke detector goes off loudly and April can hear her mother screaming on the phone to get out.

April drops the phone and rushes into the kitchen only to see her pan of oil is now a pan of flames.

She tries to think, water on an oil fire, bad. April remembers that the best way to put out an oil fire is to smother it. But the flames are too hot and scary for her to try to put the lid on the saucepan.

Then she remembers that flour will smother an oil fire so she grabs the bag of all purpose flour out of the cabinet and dumps the entire contents of the bag on the fire. The concept is sound and the flour extinguished the fire, but unfortunately not without a consequence. April had been standing too close when she dumps the flour and some of the hot oil jumped out and burnt her right hand and arm.

The burn is excruciating. April begins to cry and scream from the pain and fear.

Anna is still on the phone, screaming for April to respond when she hears her daughter scream in pain through the dropped receiver.

Now Anna comes completely unglued. She has the local 911 on her cell phone and they are assuring her that help is on the way to her house but she can hear April in the background on the land line phone screaming. She doesn't know what is going on and she doesn't know what to do.

She wants to run immediately to the house, to April, but if she does, she will loose the phone connection to her. If only April would pick up the phone and tell her what's happening, but she doesn't.

Anna finally decides and rushes home. When she arrives she finds April with a paramedic being treated for a burn on her arm. The house has not burnt down. A fireman assures her that it was just a small kitchen fire and there is no real damage other than some smoke. April's burns are painful but not dangerous.

Anna falls down to her knees crying nearly hysterical whiles she hugs her daughter tightly.

* * *

Sookie has the afternoon off to herself. Actually she had hoped for some girl time with Lorelai but that is not going to work out even though she hasn't seen Lorelai since she got back into town. Sookie called her this morning but Luke answered the phone and told her that Lorelai was still sleeping. 

Sookie didn't mention anything to Luke about getting together with Lorelai. She is just too happy that Luke and Lorelai seem to be working things out that she would rather not bother them.

"A late summer wedding." she thinks to herself. "Maybe this time Lorelai will want to have it in the town square." Sookie was never really excited about using that little church that Lorelai had first selected. It didn't seem right not to have the wedding in Stars Hollow but Sookie's job as the best friend of the bride was to help so she had agreed.

Sookie also was never really happy that someone else was catering the wedding feast. Lorelai had used logic to coerce Sookie to agree to the caterer but it never felt right to her. She feels that only she can properly do justice to Lorelai's wedding.

Yes, it made sense that Sookie would be too busy with her bridesmaid duties (whatever they are) to properly oversee the food presentation and Lorelai really wanted her to just to have fun at the wedding but that's not Sookie's way. This time she will be adamant and insist that Lorelai let her handle the food.

Sookie already knows the cake she will make, actually two cakes, one for the bride and one for the groom. Luke is so health conscious that she will make him her Heart Healthy Carrot Cake (she has this recipe that includes unsweetened coconuts and crushed pineapple in the carrot cake that she is sure he will love) and for Lorelai, of course it has to be the Mocha Supreme Cake with a Chocolate crown.

As for the menu, Sookie has it all planned in her head. She will serve an international cheese table that includes double crème brie, gorgonzola, Jarlsberg, cheddar, and chevre cheeses arrange with a fresh-cut fruit and vegetable crudite. For hors d'oeuveres, an artichoke putanesca barguette, vegetable & cheese stuffed mushrooms, vegetable & Fonina frittata, and scallops wrapped in bacon. There will be a choice of appetizer, either Cape Cod lobster and corn chowder or seared sea scallops and wild mushroom risotto or maybe lobster ravioli with a saffron chardonnay sauce (she'll have to check with Lorelai to get her opinion).

Sookie will serve her specialty salad with white French dressing and fresh baked rolls. The entrée will be a choice of Pan Seared Sea Scallops served over a roasted red pepper sauce with a fresh pasta tossed with pesto or Lobster Webster (half of a large lobster baked with caramelized leeks and brie sauce) or Chicken and fig Marsala (boneless breast of chicken, sautéed with figs and toasted hazelnuts in a Marsala wine and natural chicken sauce sprinkled with Gorgonzola cheese).

Now Sookie is getting hungry and anxious to make the wedding feast. She starts to make out her shopping list for the ingredients that she will need in her head but the list is too long. Hurrying home, Sookie thinks, 'I'll get it all planned out today then all I'll need is the date."

As Sookie attempts to run past Miss Patty's studio, she is suddenly seized by Patty and Babette and dragged inside.

* * *

Luke and Lorelai are trying to decide what movie they will see. Since Luke had insisted that Lorelai can not speak for the next 24 hours so that her voice can rest and recover, Lorelai is using pantomime to communicate. 

Currently she is lying on the floor doing her impression of Da Vinci's **_Vitruvian Man. _**She is trying to indicate that she wants to see **_The Da Vinci Code_** but instead of just pointing to the listing in the paper, she chose to pantomime it. Luke is trying to guess what the heck she is trying to say. It's pretty funny.

It got funnier when Rory calls. Luke answers the phone and explains to Rory that Lorelai can't talk because she has laryngitis.

Lorelai, once realizing that Luke is talking to Rory, goes down on bended knees and crawls to his feet with clasped hands and a pleading look. Luke tells Rory to hang on a minute because her mother is acting crazy again.

Rory listens over the phone while Luke confers with Lorelai.

Perplexed, Luke speaks to Lorelai, "You want the phone? No way, you can't talk."

Lorelai rubs her body against his like a cat, while she looks at him with pleading puppy dog eyes and tries to grab the receiver.

Luke responds, "What? No, I'm not giving you the phone because you will end up talking and you promised not to talk for 24 hours."

Lorelai clasps her hands together again as she pleads with her eyes. Then she crossed herself, slaps her chest over her heart, then covers her mouth, and tries to mimic talking with her right hand by opening and closing it really fast. She repeats the gestures until Luke responds.

"You promise that you won't speak, just listen?"

Lorelai nods her head intensely in affirmation.

Luke relents and says to Lorelai, "Okay.' Then he returns to talk to Rory. "You mom wants the phone. You may talk to her but she is not allowed to talk back. Oh, hang on a minute."

Now Lorelai is miming something else as Luke tries to figure it out.

Luke repeats as Lorelai points to him. "Me? You want me to do something?"

Lorelai nods her head yes. Then she covers to her mouth.

Luke misinterprets "You want me to stop talking?"

Lorelai shakes her head frantically. She points to Luke again and then raises her hand to imitate talking by opening and closing her hand really fast. Then she slaps her chest.

"You want me to talk for you?"

Lorelai nods furiously.

Back to Rory, Luke says, "You can talk to your mom and ask her questions. Then I will try to figure out what the heck her answer is and tell you, okay?"

Rory agrees.

Luke then puts the phone to Lorelai ear as she fights to take a hold of the receiver herself. He tells her, "No, I will hold the receiver. That way if you start to say something, I can pull it away and hang up. Understand?"

Lorelai nods and Luke speaks loud enough so Rory can hear him, "Okay Rory, Lorelai is listening."

He can see Lorelai concentrating as she listens to Rory. She absentmindedly nods her head. Then she pushes the phone back to Luke.

"Okay, it's me again, Rory. Your mother is holding up her index finger. So, number one. Now she's nodding yes. So I guess the answer to your first question is yes."

"Now she is holding up two fingers, so now question two. She is wrapping her hands around her own throat and trying to strangle herself. What the hell did you ask her?"

Rory tells him she wanted to know how her mom got laryngitis.

"Oh, I can tell you that Rory. You mom had an intense round of morning sickness this morning and strained her throat."

Luke keeps talking to Rory and all Lorelai can hear is his side of the conversation. She is starting to get impatient.

Luke's response to Rory, "Uh huh, me too."

Rory talking.

Luke, "Well, she has. Tomato juice."

More Rory.

Luke, "Yeah, I know it's weird but it's working, I guess."

Rory again.

Luke laughing, "Yeah, that's what your mom said."

Now Lorelai is getting really impatient and is looking very cross with her arms folded and tapping her foot.

So Luke mouths "Sorry" and tells Rory that her mom is now holding up three fingers and is nodding. "So the answer to your third question is yes."

Rory replies to Luke, "I asked mom if she wanted to meet me for dinner here in Stamford on my break."

"Good. Your mom and I were just going to see **_The Da Vinci Code_** (yes, he had figured out her pantomime but he was having too much fun watching her struggle with the clues to admit it earlier) but it will be over in time for her to join you for dinner."

Rory replies, "I meant the both of you. I want you to come to dinner also. I may need your amazing interpretive skills to figure out what she is saying."

Luke is touched that Rory wants him to join them so he agrees. He tells her that he will call her when they get out of the movie and then they can make definite plans.

* * *

The paramedics take April to the emergency room in the ambulance and Anna rides along. When they get to the hospital, the nurse takes April to an examination room while insisting the Anna must stay and fill out some forms. 

As Anna fills out the forms, she is getting more and more frustrated that they won't let her in the room with April and her frustration is manifesting itself into anger at Luke. Anna has decided since Luke owns a diner it is his fault that April tried to make the French fries and burnt herself.

Next thing she knows she is dialing Luke's cell phone and getting ready to rip into him for endangering her child.

(Tbc)


	14. Chapter 14 All the King's Horses

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

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Chapter 14 – All the King's Horses

Luke's phone begins to ring. Lorelai is usually the only one who calls him on his cell. He can count on one hand all of the people who have this number, Lorelai, April, Anna, Liz, and Jess.

Luke answers the call feeling a bit uneasy. It's Anna.

Without any common greeting like "Hello" or "Hey" Anna simply blurts out, "I hope you're satisfied! My daughter almost died because of you!"

Luke's chest feels like it's constricting as the words strangle in his throat. "April's…April's hurt?" is all he can get out.

As suddenly as her rage against Luke had formed, it now simply extinguishes and dies, leaving Anna with only her fears and anxiety. Fear overtakes her and all she can utter between her sobs is "Fire, April, hospital." Then she hangs up.

Luke is horrified. Something happened to April and he doesn't know what. He doesn't know if she's hurt or (God forbid) dead or anything. He just knows that something happened and he has to get to her.

Lorelai watches as Luke answered his phone. The color begins draining from his face almost immediately and when he blurts out April's name his voice resonates with a cry more akin to a plaintive wail than human voice. Lorelai recognizes that sound. It is the sound of a parent's worse nightmare.

Eyes wide in fear, Luke stares at Lorelai and simply repeats what Anna said to him, "Fire, April, hospital." That's enough for Lorelai to understand. Without another word, she picks up her keys, seizes his arm and begins to drag him out the door to her car.

Sitting in the Jeep, Luke's senses begin to return. His entire conversation with Anna is replaying in his mind. She started out by saying that "her daughter" _almost_ died, not is dead but almost died. "Okay," he tells himself, "she's not dead. "

Then the words "fire", "April", and finally "hospital", he took that to mean that April was in a fire and is now at the hospital. What hospital? He had no idea, Anna never said what hospital.

Luke starts to punch the buttons on his phone. "Damn it she's got to tell me at least what hospital." But he can't get her to answer her phone. Frustrated, he starts smashing the phone against the dashboard. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Lorelai reaches over to place her hand on his arm to stop him from beating up his phone. She wants to say something but she knows there is absolutely nothing that she can say at this point that will help him. He is a parent whose child is hurt and only finding out about April will help him.

He turns to look at her and says in a tormented voice, "She didn't even tell me what hospital. She said it's my fault. How is it my fault? April is supposed to be watching crayfish. There's no fire when you are watching crayfish. There is water and mud and rocks, and maybe some string and bacon but no fire. How could she be in a fire watching crayfish and how is it my fault? Oh, God maybe there was a forest fire. Where was the stream with the crayfish? Was it in a forest? Maybe she took the bacon and got hungry and built a fire to cook the bacon. Oh God, I shouldn't have told her about the string and bacon. Then she wouldn't have taken bacon and built a fire and got burnt. It is my fault."

"Shh-h-h-h," Lorelai whispers, "it's not your fault. Anna doesn't mean it, she's just scared. We're almost there so just hang on another five minutes.

Lorelai is torn between hating Anna for attempting to blame Luke for something that clearly is not his fault and understanding exactly why Anna is blaming Luke. This whole scenario is striking a little too close to an old memory.

Lorelai remembers a time when she too blamed Luke for something that wasn't his fault; for Rory's injury. When she yelled at Luke because her daughter had a fractured arm and she tried to make Luke feel responsible simply because he was taking care of his nephew. Lorelai had just been lashing out because she was scared. That's all that Anna is doing but it wasn't fair before and it isn't fair now.

When they arrive at the county hospital (Lorelai thinks, and where else would they take April but to the only hospital in the area that serves both Stars Hollow and Woodbridge?) Luke leaps out of the car and starts to run into the Emergency Room, but then he hesitates. He is scared and suddenly he can't move.

Lorelai comes up to him and wraps her arm around him. This is what he needs, he needs her strength to help him. They walk into the hospital together.

As soon as they enter, Luke immediately walks up to the desk to ask about April. Lorelai hangs back and looks around. She sees Anna sitting alone, looking scared and totally desolate. Her instinct is to put her arms around Anna and comfort her. Lorelai follows her instinct.

Anna is startled when Lorelai sits down next to her and puts her arms around her. This woman that she barely knows, the woman that Anna doesn't want anywhere near April is trying to comfort her. Anna can't process this now and doesn't try. She merely takes the comfort offered.

Luke comes over to the two women and says, "We can go in to see her now."

Anna gets up and starts to walk to her daughter. Lorelai remains seated. Luke looks at her and holds out his hand. Lorelai shakes her head and softly says, 'Go with Anna to see your daughter. I'll wait right here."

Luke follows Anna.

It is over 45 minutes before all three of them reappeared, Anna, Luke and April. April has a white gauze bandage wrapping her arm from just below her right elbow clear to her hand. Otherwise, she looks fine.

Lorelai sighs and feels the tension leave her body. April is alright.

Instinctually, Lorelai runs to April and gives her a big hug. Then she looks in deep the girl's eyes and admonishes, "You scared us, you know! If you want to rebel and perform self-mutilation, you might consider a nice tattoo of a crayfish on your hinny next time. Fire scars are not cool!"

April giggles nervously as she admits, "Maybe the French fries were not such a good idea."

Luke raises his eyebrows in reproach, "I told you that you are too young to…"

Lorelai catches his eyes in mid-sentence with the "this is so not the time" look so he stops.

Something suddenly occurs to April and she asks Lorelai, "What happened to your voice?"

Lorelai smiles and winks at Luke, "This is what happens when you sing at the top of your lungs for hours along Ashlee Simpson's Boyfriend C:D. I definitely need to warm up before I start my next concert!"

Anna is very uncomfortable with Luke and Lorelai hanging around. She wants them to leave so that she can spend time alone with April. "Well, you two don't have to stay. April is okay now, so she and I will just head home."

April, being more practical, asks her mother "How? You rode in the ambulance with me. We don't have the car."

Luke immediately offers to drive them home.

Anna attempts to decline the offer stating that they still need to go the pharmacy to get April's prescriptions. She tells him that it is silly for them to wait. She and April will just get a cab.

Luke looks at Anna firmly and states, "Don't be stubborn. Lorelai and I will go to the pharmacy with you and then we will take you home." And that was the end of that discussion.

* * *

Sookie is startled when Miss Patty and Babette drag her in the studio. She is even more alarmed when she finds half of the town in the studio waiting. It looks like a damn town meeting.

Sookie apprehensively asks Taylor who is standing behind the podium, "Is there a town meeting that I don't know about because you're supposed to publish a notice for a town meeting."

Taylor explains, "This is an official Special Town Meeting called to deal with an impending town crisis."

"What crisis, Taylor?" Sookie is really suspicious of anything that Taylor deems is a crisis.

"The Lorelai and Luke breakup crisis." replies Taylor with an air of superiority.

"What, the Lorelai and Luke breakup crisis? They aren't broken up, they are just working on their, ah, issues. Just leave them alone, this is none of your business!" responds Sookie indignantly. As much as Sookie really wants to interfere herself and push Luke and Lorelai to finally just get married, she, as Lorelai's best friend, feels that she has an obligation to protect the couple from the likes of Taylor and the rest of the town.

"Au contraire," rebuts Taylor, "this is very much a town issue. This couple has been together for over two years, give or take. They are together then they breakup in public I might add, actually in my store! Then they are back together again and suddenly they get engaged. They are engaged for over one year but still no wedding."

"Then we have to watch as they struggle with Rory's rebellion and then this mysterious long lost daughter appears. Then we have another public breakup, followed by a mental breakdown and a suicide attempt. Well, I have to say it has been like watching a damn soap opera with these two. That is not good for the reputation of Stars Hallow as a family community."

"Either they should break up permanently and one of them, preferably Luke, leave town or they have to get married. That's the official town position."

"What?" responds Sookie incredulously, "Taylor, you can't force them to breakup or to get married. It is none of your business. What are you going to do, tell them they have to get married or you're running Luke out of town on a rail? Or are you going to force them to get married; like a shot-gun wedding?"

Taylor opens his mouth to respond but before he can speak, Miss Patty, using her ample hips, knocks him away from the podium and takes over. "Dear, we don't plan to use an actually shot-gun. We just figured that we will get them drunk and throw a surprise wedding ceremony."

After hearing that, Sookie finds that she needs to sit down.

* * *

On Sunday morning, Lorelai is woken a little before eleven by the movement of the warm body lying in the bed next to her. It's not Luke since he left for the diner hours ago. Instead, she finds Rory laying in Luke's place staring at her.

"Good morning, Mother and it's about time, I'm starving. Sookie's here and she's making us breakfast. Get up, get up! It's a beautiful day."

Lorelai sits up and glares at Rory. Lorelai is not a morning person, particularly these days. She has always found Rory's tendency to be chipper first thing in the morning irritating but it is especially maddening today. She silently curses Christopher. Obviously Rory inherited this characteristic from his side of the gene pool. There's no way that she passed on the happy morning trait.

Rory hands Lorelai the glass of tomato juice that Luke left on the bedside table and orders, " Drink your juice and then get dressed, I'm hungry!"

"Grr!" is Lorelai's only response.

When Lorelai is dressed and in a little better mood, she descends the stairs to find her olfactory sense overwhelmed by warm and appetizing smells. Sookie has been baking her delicious Cinnamon Butter Coffee Cake.

Pulled towards the kitchen by the wonderful odors, Lorelai's spider sense is suddenly alerted. She can hear Sookie and Rory in a deep conversation and she suspects that she is the central topic.

Lorelai enters the kitchen and sees that Sookie made a breakfast feast. Besides the coffee cake, there are Eggs Florentine, cheese blintzes with fruit compote, breakfast potatoes, and an assortment of ham, bacon and sausages. She checks her mouth to make certain that she's not drooling before she asks, "What's the celebration?"

Suddenly noticing Lorelai's presence, Sookie jumps up, encircles both her and Rory in a big hug as she bounces up and down. "Ooh!—ooh!—ooh! My girls are back! This is wonderful, you're back!"

"Sookie, Sookie, we're happy you're happy, but hon, need oxygen, ribs breaking, getting seasick from bouncing."

Sookie immediately releases her grip as she jumps back, still screeching, "Ooh!—ooh!—ooh! I'm just so happy!"

Lorelai walks to the coffee pot registering that though there appears to be no coffee brewing at this time, there is a lingering fragrance of freshly brewed coffee in the air. She turns to Rory with a questioning look and says, "Where's the coffee?"

Sheepishly, Rory replies, "I'm sorry, I drank it all this morning. We are completely out."

Clearly agitated and slightly panicked, Lorelai pleads, "Rory, that's not funny. Mommy needs her coffee. We agreed that I would reduce, and I stress the term reduce, the amount of coffee. I'm only drinking two cups a day, just two cups compared to my normal ten to fourteen. But Mommy needs her coffee in the morning to get her heart pumping, blood circulating, brain functioning. Without coffee, there will be no pumping, circulating, or thinking!"

Rory, unsuccessfully hiding a smile, responds, "Sorry, no coffee but there is some decaf."

Growling, Lorelai sets out on a quest to find the hidden coffee. She knows that there was a nearly full canister yesterday. Though Rory did inherit her amazing tolerance for caffeine, even Rory can not consume that much coffee in twenty-four hours, especially since she wasn't even home during most of that period.

Lorelai looks in the freezer and refrigerator, checking in all containers including the milk carton. Then she progresses to the oven, dishwasher, under the sink (remembering her long ago dream), and all other cabinets and containers in the kitchen. No coffee but she did find the can of decaf which she immediately dumps in the trash.

Frustrated, Lorelai grabs her keys and heads for the front door where she is stopped by Rory who is standing in front of the door refusing to let her out.

"Where do you think you are going?" Rory asks.

"To get coffee."

"Mom, you know that Luke will not let you have any coffee."

"Fine, I'll go to Weston's or Al's, or even to the Dragonfly. If I have to, I'll head to Woodbridge. You can't stop me."

With that, Lorelai turns and heads for the kitchen to escape out the back door. Unfortunately for her, Sookie is blocking that door. "No coffee, Lorelai."

Lorelai turns again to make a run for the side door in the living room. There are three exits in her house and only two of them to try to block her. Unfortunately for Lorelai, Rory anticipated this move and is currently standing immediately behind her, completing trapping her in the kitchen.

"Rory, please if you love me at all, let me get my coffee, just one cup now and a second in the afternoon to keep me going. Otherwise, I will be really moody, like major suicidally depressed type mood. You do not want a suicidal pregnant woman for a mother. Plus severe caffeine withdrawal will cause my brain to explode. My head is already beginning to hurt. I can not go cold turkey. I'll be a shaky, spazzy, depressed pregnant woman with an exploding brain. That is so much worse for the baby than just a little caffeine." Lorelai is using her most pathetic plea look and allows tears to moisten her eyes. She isn't really acting, the thought of no coffee is pushing her to near hysteria.

Relenting as she knew that she would, Rory reaches behind and pulls at the baggie taped to her back. Holding it out towards Lorelai, who observes that it contains enough coffee grounds for at least one Lorelai size cup of coffee, Rory grins and says, "Here is your allotment for this morning. You will receive a second bag of coffee from Luke no earlier than 3:00 this afternoon."

Fearing a trick, Lorelai snatches the bag quickly and opens it to check for certain that it contains real coffee. She inhales a large whiff before stating, "Ahh, it's Luke's special blend but with something else." Looking at Rory suspiciously, "What else is mixed with this coffee?"

"Mom, you have to cut out caffeine for the baby but we know that it is dangerous to do that all at once, so we have come up with a graduated withdrawal plan."

"Who are _we_?"

"Luke, Sookie, and me."

Uh-huh, so you told Sookie about the baby and then all three of you decided to gang up on me, right?"

Smiling sheepishly, Rory admits, "Sorry Mom, it just sort of slipped out. I didn't mean to tell Sookie but it's alright isn't it. I mean you were planning on telling her right away. I mean, I know that you want to keep it a secret from the town for now but not Sookie, right?"

Sookie pipes up, "I should be hurt that you didn't tell me sooner, but I will forgive you this time because of you being kind of crazy lately."

Lorelai frowns at the reference that she is being crazy but then decides to let it pass. "Of course Sookie, I was planning on telling you as soon as I saw you. _Everything_ has been a little crazy since we got back and there hasn't been any time. It's just _I_ wanted to be the one to tell you." Lorelai looks very pointedly at her daughter.

"I'm so sorry Mom, it really just kind of slipped out. Sookie was here when Luke brought over the coffee and it made her kind of curious and she sort of figured it out."

Not really comfortable with the idea that Luke and Rory are collaborating in a sort of coalition against her, she wants to get back to this plan that Rory mentioned. "So what is this 'graduated withdrawal plan' you and Luke and, now, Sookie have devised for me? Let's hear it."

"This week you will receive grounds consisting of seven-eights real coffee and one-eight decaf. Each following week, the amount of real coffee will be reduced by one-eight and the decaf will be increased by one-eight. Until you reach full decaf in two months."

"Uh-huh, and why will I go along with this plan?"

"Because your other option is no coffee at all."

Lorelai's face takes on a defiant appearance. It turns out that she doesn't like ultimatums any better than Luke.

"Wow, you three just think that you have everything figured out, don't you. But you forgot something," Lorelai challenges, "I am an adult. I still have the right to make my own decisions. Now I agreed to limit my coffee consumption to two cups a day and I was living up to my agreement but forget that. If I want three cups of coffee, _I_ will decide whether Iwill have that third cup."

Lorelai's eyes are blazing as she looks at Rory, "You are my daughter and I love you but until I am drooling in the nursing home, you are not in charge of me."

Now she turns her piercing gaze on Sookie, "You are my friend and if you want to stay my friend, then back off."

Lorelai with car keys in hand, pushes her way past Rory and heads out the door.

Rory is in shock for a moment. "Whoa," she thinks, "maybe I should have waited until after she had her coffee to mention the plan." Then another thought just hits her and she runs to the phone and dials a number very quickly.

"Luke, it's Rory. Mom is on her way to the diner. When she gets there, give her coffee, do you hear me, give her coffee. Do not argue with her or tease her or make any sort of comment about coffee if you value your life. Just remember if you want to win this war, you might have to concede a few battles."

* * *

Luke had answered the phone and heard Rory's message. "What the hell," he thought, 'I'm not giving her coffee so she can make an addict out of my kid!"

But then he had a second thought. He had asked Rory for advice and it sure as hell sounds like she just gave him some. Maybe he better take it.

Three minutes later, the door flies open and in walks Lorelai. The entire atmosphere of the diner suddenly becomrd charged with tension and every person in the place csn feel it.

Lorelai stands in front of the door and stares at Luke defiantly. Luke stares back with equal intensity. All of the customers of the diner seemed to be collectively holding their breathes in anticipation. No one knows exactly what is going on but they all know it is big.

Lorelai finally walks to the counter and stands directly in front of Luke. She says nothing, just stares directly into his eyes and he stares back. Both of them seem to be frozen in some sort of challenge in which neither is willing to yield and no one else in the room understands. This lasts for almost a minute.

Then Luke, without breaking eye contact, reaches under the counter and brings out a large to go cup already filled with coffee and sets it on the counter directly in front of Lorelai.

Lorelai, still without breaking eye contact, picks up the cup and takes a small sip. Satisfied that she has made her point, she then simply turns and walks out the door, cup in hand.

* * *

"Whoa," thinks Miss Patty, one of the diner's customers who had just witness the showdown, "what the heck is that about?"

Miss Patty has no idea what she just watched but she knows something important has just happened. Now all she has to do is figure out what it means.

* * *

Anna had just finished redressing April's burn. It is bad but not as bad as she had first feared.

April is grouchy today. She hadn't slept well last night because her arm bothered her. Plus the whole incident with the fire is kind of a kick in her ego. She doesn't want to have to admit that maybe Luke is right and she isn't old enough to cook French fries.

It hadn't been her fault. It was her mother's fault for calling her and keeping her on the phone.

April decides that she is mad at her mother for causing her to set fire to the kitchen and she is mad at Luke because he believes that she is too young to learn to cook. And she is kind mad at Lorelai too, though she isn't exactly sure why except April knows that Lorelai will agree with Luke about the cooking.

Plus she is mad because it's summer and she has a second degree burn on her arm and can't go swimming. All of her friends are at the pool right now having fun, especially Freddy, and she can't go. Life sucks and it's not her fault.

Anna senses April's mood. She wants to make her daughter feel better so she decides that now is the time to tell April about the opening at the Sally Ride Science Camp. She remembers how last fall, April went on and on about what a wonderful experience it would be and how she wants to go there more than anything in the world.

Well now she is going and Anna knows this will put a smile on April's face.

"April honey, I have some great news for you that will make you happy. Remember when you got that letter from the Sally Ride camp that said they were sorry but their session is full but they will put your name on a waiting list? Well, guess what? A space has become available and you are going to camp at Stanford University on July 9th. Isn't that wonderful?"

April stared at her mother as if she has turned into an alien monster. How could her mother enroll her in camp now? There is no way April is going to leave for ten days. Not now. It is bad enough that she can't go to the pool with her friends and Freddy but if she leaves town for ten whole days, he will forget about her all together.

(tbc)


	15. Chapter 15 And All the King's Men

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 15 – And All the King's Men**

Lorelai is sitting in her car feeling good about herself or at least better than she has felt in some time. It is amazing how one tiny act of defiance can empower the return of ones sense of confidence. Lorelai hasn't felt confident about anything for a long time.

She wonders what happened to the woman she use to be. What happened to the woman who defied convention and her parents to forge a new life for herself and her daughter? The woman who challenged the business world and (along with Sookie) established the Dragonfly as a premier Inn in New England?

That woman began to fade sometime after her daughter ran away from her and she completely disappeared after Luke found out that he is father. Suddenly Lorelai had become the type of woman that she always mocked, a woman that let others make decisions for her and accepted those decisions without comment.

But that wimpy woman isn't the real Lorelai. The real Lorelai had always made her own decisions and willing accepted the consequences of those decisions.

"Well," she thinks to herself, "that woman is back. From now on, I will decide how I am going to live my life. If Luke or Rory don't like it, they can just walk away."

Harsh rhetoric for such a small victory. Deep down she knows that Luke, Rory, and Sookie were only trying to watch out for her and the baby. They probably thought their little maneuver was cute and funny. Her reaction undoubtedly caught them off guard.

Lorelai suddenly found herself laughing about it. It was kind of an over the top reaction, but at the time the whole coffee thing had just really pissed her off. All they had to do is talk to her if they wanted her to stop drinking coffee all together. She might have agreed (or not), but no, they decided to manipulate her into giving up coffee. She hates being manipulated.

They don't respect her enough to try talking with her. They all see her as a precocious child needing to be nurtured and protected, someone incapable of making a rational decision.

Well, she showed them who is in control of her life. Even Luke gave her coffee without a verbal protest when she stood up to their little ploy.

Rory must have called Luke to warn him because he definitely was ready for her when she arrived. Now that she thinks about it, the whole incident was kind of funny. He didn't say anything but his look told her everything. He did not approve of her coffee drinking (duh, like he hadn't made that clear for the past decade) but he isn't going to stop her if she is intent on killing herself.

Actually, she kind of liked it when he acted like her protector, she just didn't like it when he made decisions without consulting her. That's how they got in the mess to begin with.

He decided that she couldn't have contact with his daughter. He decided she would know nothing about his relationship with Anna. He got to decide when and if they are to be married.

Now, he is deciding that she and April should have contact. Everything is his decision. No more.

"Wow," she exclaims to herself, "from euphoric to rage in two seconds. Maybe it is pregnancy hormones."

Suddenly Lorelai is really hungry and her stomach is beginning to hurt. "Okay, maybe coffee is not such a good idea on an empty stomach when you are pregnant." she concludes.

Now she starts thinking about the meal that Sookie prepared which is still waiting for her inside. Eating is sounding awfully good right now. Besides, she knows that she has made her point with all of the members of the triumvirate, Rory, Sookie, and Luke. She figures they won't try to treat her like an imbecile any more just because she pregnant.

* * *

Rory and Sookie are sitting in the kitchen, waiting. Rory was right when she predicted that Lorelai was going to Luke's to get coffee. As soon as Lorelai left the diner, Luke called Rory to tell her thanks for the warning and that Lorelai is probably on her way back home. 

When Lorelai walks in the kitchen, she is all smiles. That reassures both Rory and Sookie. One thing about Lorelai, she doesn't hold grudges. She might be a little emotional right now but she is still Lorelai.

Nonchalantly, Lorelai joins them at the table and Sookie begins to serve up the breakfast. No one speaks about the coffee incident and the atmosphere at the table soon turns light and happy. Good food with good friends makes a happy meal.

Sookie wants to know all about the pregnancy and the baby. Lorelai admits that since she hasn't seen the doctor yet, she is only guessing that the baby is due in early February. Sookie gets a big chuckle off of the tomato juice story but makes a mental note to tell Jackson to provide her and Luke with an ample supply of his tomatoes for the next few months.

When they are all finished eating, Rory gets up and excuses herself, explaining that she needs to get to work. She lets Lorelai know that she will probably be working into the early hours of the morning again.

Lorelai starts to complain that this job is forcing Rory to work too many hours but then she stops herself. Remembering that she and Rory just spent almost 4 weeks in the mountains together and that this job is important for Rory's career, Lorelai realizes that she must just accept this as part of Rory's new life. Lorelai simply smiles at Rory and wishes her a good day at work.

She begins wondering how she will deal with her feelings when Rory graduates and starts out on her life as a foreign correspondent or whatever. Post graduation she may only be able to see Rory occasionally for visits and holidays. How will she cope?

Sookie notices the shadow of sadness that falls over Lorelai's face as Rory leaves for work. "It's kind of tough watching her leave and start out on her own life, isn't it? I mean, she's little Rory to us but she's now all grown up Rory and making her own separate life. It's hard to let her go."

Then Sookie turns to Lorelai and smiles, "But now you have Luke and" Sookie pats Lorelai's belly, "this one, so you aren't alone."

"Yeah, I do." Lorelai replies without conviction.

"So when's the wedding? You will want it soon so you don't look all fat and pregnant in the pictures." Then slyly Sookie adds, "How about July 4, Independence Day? Everyone in town will be gathering at the square for the fireworks, we can just add a wedding to the celebration."

Lorelai snorts, "I'm not squeezing a wedding in between the town's fireworks display."

"Okay, it was just a thought. So when is the big day?"

Lorelai gets up and starts to carry the dirty dishes to the sink. "I don't know."

Sookie, who is very accustomed to Lorelai's evasive tactics whenever she is uncomfortable with a topic of conversation, suddenly senses that Lorelai is trying to avoid this discussion. Sookie pushes, "Lorelai, what's going on? Why haven't you and Luke set a date? Don't tell me that he's still wants to postpone the wedding? I mean, you're pregnant and it's his baby. It is his baby?"

"Of course it's his baby."

"Well, you did run off and go to Christopher. I mean, you two do have a history."

Indignant (and a little embarrassed), Lorelai adamantly defends her reputation, "Nothing happened with Christopher. I am so over Christopher, I wish everyone would just understand that he is only a friend. I just went to him because I needed to get away."

Honestly hurt, Sookie reproaches Lorelai, "You could have come to me. I am always here for you."

Lorelai turns and hugs Sookie. "Oh honey, I know that but I couldn't go to you that night. I just couldn't face you. You have Jackson and Davey and Martha and the perfect life. I couldn't bear to see that. You have everything that I will never have and it just hurts too much."

"What are you talking about? You have Rory and Luke and now this little one." Sookie points to her belly. "You have it all; a daughter that loves you dearly, a man that would crawl naked over broken glass for you and now a new baby."

"Yeah, right."

"Okay Lorelai, what's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing is going on. Everything is perfect."

"Lorelai?"

"Sookie, it's fine. It is just everything is a little complicated right now."

"Oh no Lorelai, you are not going to pull that again! Do not run away."

"What are you talking about? I'm not running anywhere," then under her breathe, "though maybe I should."

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you do this every time. I am not letting you screw this up again."

"I'm not screwing anything up or maybe I am! I don't know anymore. It's too complicated. I don't know what's right or wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have come back. It would have been so much easier if I just disappeared."

"Okay, remember when I said that you were acting crazy. This is what I meant. You are definitely acting crazy now."

"I am not crazy. I am being sensible and practical. It would have been better for Luke if I had never come back. Then everything would have been simpler for him. It would have been just him and April and Anna."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying that now Luke has two different baby Mamas to deal with. If I hadn't come back he would only have Anna and April and they could have made a family together. I'm just a complication."

"Okay, crazy now! You are completely insane. You keep talking like that we will have to be commit you to some fancy asylum. Do you know that is where the entire town thinks you were for the last month? Maybe they are right, you are nuts. Why would you say such a thing? Why would you even think such a thing? Luke adores you, only you. Where are all of these Luke and Anna and April thoughts coming from? "

"I don't know. It's just that, you know, I've finally met her, Anna. She's nice and a lot like me. She's bringing up April a lot like I raised Rory. She thinks like me. She even looks like me except shorter. It got me thinking. Here's April and her mother and Luke. They would make a good family. Maybe that's what they should do. April needs her father and Luke and Anna together would give her stability."

Exasperated, Sookie grabs Lorelai and starts dragging her towards the door. "Okay, you are officially off of your rocker; you have flown over the cuckoo's nest. I'm taking you to Luke so you can tell him your crazy thoughts. Maybe he can talk some sense into you."

"No, Sookie, think about it. Luke got so confused after he met April and he kept saying everything is so complicated. I couldn't understand it then, but now it makes sense. He is engaged to me so, yeah, big commitment but then he finds out about April so new even bigger commitment. Then he starts talking to Anna because of April and maybe those old feelings started to reignite. So then it becomes really complicated."

"Whoa, Lorelai, you're mind is so far removed from reality right now that it is in another country, another world, hell, another galaxy. Where would you ever get such an idea? Did Luke ever say or do anything to make you think he is still interested in Anna?"

"He described her as very down to earth and that he trusts her. How can he trust her and not me? I didn't keep his child from him."

"Oh honey, I think you must have misunderstood him. What else did he tell you about her?"

"That's all he ever told me but it but I think it makes his feelings pretty clear."

"Clear how? He uses the same terms to describe his friend Ed and don't tell me you think he should spend the rest of his life with Ed. Luke loves only you."

Suddenly a strange look appeared on Lorelai's face, sort like she is surrendering. "Well, maybe that's not enough. Or maybe he doesn't love me enough or I am just too much work to marry. You know, not everyone can be married. Some people are just destined to be alone."

Sookie gives Lorelai a big hug and says, "You are really crazy. Luke wants you, you have to believe that. Everything he does proclaims over and over how much he wants you. Why can't you see that?"

* * *

Sookie stayed with Lorelai until she said that she was tired and wanted to nap. Sookie hated it but she had to leave. She promised Jackson to be home by one to take the kids. It is now almost two. 

Still, she has one more stop to make before she goes home. She is already late so a few more minutes late won't make Jackson any more angry than he already is.

Sookie walks into Luke's. The place is nearly empty now that the after the church crowd is gone. She walks up to Luke and says, "We need to talk."

Luke motions for her to go upstairs to his apartment. He knows this is going to be a private type talk and he also suspects that he isn't going to like what she will say. After all, she used the universal female warning words, "We need to talk." Nothing good ever follows that phrase.

Luke follows Sookie upstairs and lets her in. Sookie looks around since this is the first time that she has ever been in his apartment. Somehow it looks exactly like she thought it would look.

Luke motions for her to take a seat but Sookie declines.

"Luke, I don't have much time. I need to get home before Jackson kills me but I think I need to talk with you or maybe I shouldn't. I don't know what to do. I hate to butt in to people's personal business because I really don't have good people skills. So I didn't butt in before, even though I could see that you were killing Lorelai but she convinced me that she was handling it and everything was okay and you know that she can be pretty convincing when she wants to be, so I didn't. But now I think maybe I should have."

Luke is not completely sure that he understood anything that Sookie said but he isn't going to interrupt her. She seems to be on a flow.

"Okay, you do know that Lorelai is crazy right now? I mean pregnancy hormones make you really looney, just ask Norman Mailer. Anyway, she has sort of convinced herself that you should marry Anna so you and April will have a real family. Also, she is convinced that she is destined never to marry."

Luke stares at Sookie with the weirdest look on his face. He looks like he has no idea what she just said or maybe like she was speaking another language. Sookie is certain she spoke English to him.

So she finally asks, "You do still want to marry Lorelai, don't you?"

That registers with Luke and he replies, "More than anything; yes."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?

"Sookie, did you just say that Lorelai thinks I should marry Anna? Why?

"Because she crazy, I told you that. Plus, she had always had this idea in her head of the perfect family, you know, Momma, Daddy and baby. She hung on to that idea with Christopher for years. She tried so many times to make it work with him except for two pesky little problems. One, she never really loved him and two, real life Christopher just doesn't live up to her fantasy of him. He is handsome and charming but kind of weak and irresponsible. Christopher is more like a boy than man and Lorelai doesn't need a boy for a partner. It would have never worked and deep down she always knew it. She just had trouble letting go of the fantasy."

"So now, she's transferred that fantasy to you. She has now convinced herself that you and Anna should be together so you can make the perfect family for April. Besides, you told her that Anna is really down to earth and that you trust her."

Luke, still sort of in shock, asks, "I told her what? That Anna is down to earth and I trust her. Well, I guess maybe I said something like that but I didn't mean anything by it. Why would Lorelai think that?'

Sookie looked at him with annoyance, "Did you forget the part where I said that she is crazy? So what else did you tell Lorelai about Anna?"

Luke trying desperately to prove to Sookie that he never in anyway indicated that he cares for Anna, "I never told Lorelai anything about Anna. I purposely never talked about Anna."

"Okay, that explains it."

Luke is now totally confused. "What?"

"Luke, you're thinking like a man, you need to think like a woman. You start having a relationship with your ex-girlfriend…"

Luke interrupts, "I am not having a relationship with Anna."

"Luke, you are, you may not admit it, but you are. You're meeting with her and talking with her. It may not be a romantic relationship but it is still a relationship. You never defined it to Lorelai, so naturally being a woman, Lorelai will define it in her head. If the only thing you ever tell her about Anna is that you trust her and she's down to earth, both very positive attributes, I can see why Lorelai might see it rekindling into a romance."

Luke stares at Sookie. Women's minds are still a mystery to him. It had never occurred to him that Lorelai would ever think that he is interested in Anna. Even back when he dated Anna, he wasn't that involved. Now he has to see Anna only because of April but he doesn't care for her, hell he doesn't really trust her. My god, she kept his daughter a secret from him for twelve years.

Luke finally response to Sookie, "But it not true, Sookie. None of it. I don't think of Anna like that. Lorelai is it for me, no one else. I don't care about Anna except that she's April mother. That's all."

"I believe you, but it's not me that you have to persuade. Oh, and don't forget that Lorelai is now convince that she is destined to be alone."

"So what do I do?"

"Honestly Luke, I don't know. Talk to her. Share your feelings about Anna with her. Show Lorelai that you love her, want only her. You're going to have to win her back."

Sookie turns to leave and adds, " She wants to believe in the 'you and she together forever' fantasy but she's just afraid. So okay and good luck! Ooh, I hope Jackson is not too mad!"

With that, Sookie heads home to listen to Jackson rant at her.

* * *

Lorelai has been resting on the sofa. She told Sookie she wanted to nap but really she was just tired of talking and thinking. Now resting is getting boring and there is nothing good on TV. 

She considers watching a movie but even that sounds boring. Looking around the house she realizes that there are still piles of clothing left to be washed. Evidently Rory or possibly Luke did some of the laundry because there are now also piles of clean folded clothes.

Lorelai looks through the C:D collection and inserts "Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not" by the Artic Monkeys into the player. It seems to fit her mood, so she cranks up the sound.

With the rhythm of the music to motivate her, she puts one of the piles of unwashed clothes in the washer and begins to put away the folded clothes. As she hangs up some outfits in her closet, she becomes distracted by its messy appearance. Next thing she knows, she has emptied the entire contents of her closet onto her bed and is sorting and organizing her wardrobe.

For the next few hours, Lorelai is emerged in a frenzy of coordinating and straightening out her closet. It is hard work but she is totally into the project. So much so, that she doesn't hear the knock at the front door or the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Therefore, it isn't surprising that she leaps four feet in the air when she hears the familiar greeting, "Hey, Lore."

* * *

Luke is anxious. He really needs to talk to Lorelai but he can't leave the diner. Caesar has the day off and right now Luke is working all alone. Lane will be in this afternoon to help with the supper crowd but right now it is just him. 

He had tried to call Lorelai a little while ago but the phone went to the answering machine. That could mean that she is out or it might mean that she is screening her calls. If she is there but just not picking up the phone, then that probably means that she is still pissed at him over the coffee.

Wow, Lorelai was really fuming when she came into the diner earlier. Their little scheme to try to get her to stop drinking coffee had really backfired. She definitely was not amused.

Rory explained to him that Lorelai had taken their little joke the wrong way. Instead of seeing it as a cute and endearing ploy to get her stop drinking coffee, she saw it a manipulative tactic to control her life, shades of her mother's years of maneuvers to control Lorelai's life. Talk about hitting a hot button!

Lane is expected to come in to work around four. He figures that he can take a short break and run over to Lorelai's to bring her some food and an apology. Then he can get a sense of her mood and find out if he is welcome to come over after work or not.

Geez, he smiles to himself, Lorelai sure is a lot of work but he for one, has always enjoyed work.

* * *

Lorelai was so startled by Christopher's sudden appearance at her bedroom door that she literally threw a pile of clothes into the air in fear. 

"Christopher, my god, what are you doing here? You scared me half do death!"

"Sorry Lore, I knocked but you have the tunes cranked up so loud, I guess you couldn't hear."

"So you just walked in?" Lorelai knew that sounded a little sulky but she had been having a good time in her own zone and he had disturbed her.

Chris teases her and asks if a hurricane struck Stars Hallow. She merely smirks at him as she leads him downstairs and out of her bedroom.

"What are you doing in the Hallow?" she asks.

"Well, I dropped GiGi at her grandmother's for the day and thought I would visit the Gilmore girls."

"I wished you would have called."

"I did call." He looks toward the answering machine with its blinking red light. "I never heard back from you so I thought that I would take a chance and just stop by. It turns out that I am lucky."

"Lucky? Well if you would have waited for a return call, you would have found out that Rory is working today. So your luck is kind of off today."

Chris smiles charmingly, "I am still lucky, you are here."

Suddenly Lorelai is a little uncomfortable. Yes, Chris has been a good friend and really came through for her recently (for the first time, she added) but that didn't change the status of their relationship. Obviously, the time has come to set Christopher straight on this subject.

She motions for him to sit down on the sofa. She sits at the opposite end and turns to face him. "Chris, that's sweet but I wasn't planning for any visitors today." Looking up towards her bedroom, she continues, "I'm kind of in the middle of a project."

"Take a break and let me take you out to dinner, Lore. That mess upstairs will be here when you get back. Come on out and play with me."

Just then, there's a knock at the front door. Sighing with frustration Lorelai gets up to get the door.

* * *

Sookie sees Miss Patty sitting in Luke's as she leaves. Realizing that the plans for the surprise July 4 wedding will never work, Sookie knows that she needs to tell the group as soon as possible. That way, they will have a chance to try to work out another plan. 

Sookie's problem is how to convince that Miss Patty that the plan won't work because: a) Lorelai is definitely not at all receptive to sharing her wedding with an Independence Day celebration and b) no alcohol can be involved because of Lorelai's pregnancy but since no one is suppose to know about the baby yet, Sookie can't tell anyone why there can't be any alcohol.

Sookie decides that she has to figure this out before she talks with Miss Patty. So she just smiles at her as she leaves to go home.

* * *

Lorelai opens the door to see Luke standing on her porch. He is holding a large take-out bag along with a large drink and if her sense of smell is correct, and it always is, that cup contains coffee. He has a sheepish shy grin and a contrite demeanor that tells her he is apologizing for the little coffee plot he endorsed early in the day and he is sorry that it upset her. 

Luke searches Lorelai's face when she first opens the door to see if he can determine her current frame of mind towards him. His fears are dispelled when her face lights up and rewards him with her warmest smile. She looks genuinely happy to see him.

No words are spoken but their communication is clear. If anyone ever questioned the love between this two, the look shared between them at this moment would end any speculation.

Lorelai, momentary forgetting who is on the sofa, opens the door wider as an invitation for Luke to come in.

Luke shakes his head and says, "I wish I could, but Lane is alone in the diner. I just brought you a little something to eat." Then, a little more uncertain, he smiles, "Maybe latter tonight?"

Lorelai concurs, "Definitely tonight." Then, as she takes the food and leans in to kiss him, she hears footsteps. "Shit!" thinks Lorelai.

Christopher, left sitting alone on the sofa, gets curious to see who is at the door, so he saunters into the entry hall. The surprise reflected on his face is no where near as startling as the one on Luke's face when Christopher moves into view.

Luke's face clearly telegraphs his reaction. Lorelai watches as his face transforms from soft and loving to confused, followed by angry and then finally it becomes undecipherable. His eyes which were warm are now cold.

She tries to explain, "He just showed up. I didn't invite him over."

Luke looks at Lorelai and tries to sort out his feelings. Christopher always brings out a feeling of rage in him.

Luke had known the Gilmore girls for five or six years before Christopher first bothered to visit Stars Hallow. When Christopher first walked into diner, Luke recognized the type immediately. Christopher is a weak man who is skating along in life on charm and good looks.

Luke could tell that there is nothing of substance below this GQ façade, that Christopher is just an irresponsible and immature jerk. He had met guys like Christopher all of his life and usually simply ignored them, but it is hard for him to ignore Christopher because he is Rory's father and Lorelai's first love.

He had begun hating Christopher long before he ever set eyes on him. Luke had overheard Lorelai and Rory talking about Christopher often enough to classify the guy as a deadbeat.

Over the years Luke had watched while Christopher disappointed and ignored Rory time and time again. He saw how Christopher had used and confused Lorelai, yet she always seemed to welcome him back. Though Luke rarely saw the guy, his foot itches to kick Christopher's ass every time he does see him.

At the vow renewal, Luke had walked away before he completely lost control and thrashed Christopher's ass completely. It was Christopher's words that night along with Lorelai's previous blind forgiveness of this jerk that drove Luke away.

Last fall when he had heard Christopher's voice on Lorelai's phone, Luke had totally lost control again. But this time, Lorelai and Luke talked about the issue and she had sworn that her relationship with Christopher only revolved around Rory. He accepted that.

When Lorelai confessed that she had gone to Christopher after that horrible night last month, Luke's old insecurities and hatred resurfaced but this time his logic overrode his emotional response. He listened to Lorelai and believed her when she said that she did not want Christopher, that she wants him.

He does trust Lorelai even if he doesn't trust Christopher. Maybe this is his chance to prove that he believes in Lorelai and he believes in their relationship.

Luke takes a cleansing breath before he speaks, "Okay, I mean it is your house and you can spend time with whoever you want.. ' He stops and closes his eyes, taking another deep breath. "I'm sorry that sounded patronizing and supercilious and that's not what I mean." Looking sincerely deep into her eyes, he continues, "I trust you. I believe in us." He takes another breathe before asking, "You still want me to come over after I close the diner?"

Lorelai smiles and leans in to kiss Luke lovingly. Then she whispers, "Yes, I definitely want you to come back. I promise we will talk…" then her smile turns very seductive as she holds up the food, she adds, "and I'll thank you properly for my dinner."

Luke smiles and heads back to the diner.

Lorelai takes her own cleansing breath before she closes the door and faces Christopher. The time has definitely come to have that serious discussion with Chris and finally define the boundaries of their relationship.

(Tbc)


	16. Chapter 16 Can They Put Humpty

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 16 – Can They Put Humpty**

Luke tries to keep his mind off of the fact that Christopher is a Lorelai's house. He trusts Lorelai but something about the look he saw in Christopher's eyes makes him uneasy. He doesn't trust Christopher and hates the idea that Christopher feels he can just drop by anytime to see her. He intends to discuss this with her.

He is also going to talk to Lorelai about Anna. Evidently the topic for tonight is going to the ex's.

For one thing, he is going knock that silly idea out of her head; Anna and him together, never! He did like Anna back in the day but now, he isn't really sure that he likes the person she has become. She seems so much more, well he hates to use the word, but yeah, bitchy than he ever remembers. She makes him feel uncomfortable and he always feels like she is just waiting for him to mess up

Thinking about Anna naturally leads him think of April. He hopes that April doesn't inherit her mother's hostile and argumentative nature. Of course, some people think he is hostile and argumentative, so poor April probably doesn't stand a chance if there is really anything to genetics.

He had called April earlier today to find out how she is feeling. He wanted to make sure that the burn isn't bothering her too much, but Anna wouldn't let him talk with her. According to Anna, April is being punished for her attitude and is grounded for 24 hours. She can't go out or even talk to anyone on the phone.

That had pissed him off. Sure, he agrees that sometimes kids need punishment but not even allowing April to talk with her father is wrong. He supposes that he is going to have to have another talk with Anna but maybe he will run it by Lorelai first. She might have a different perspective.

"Wow," he thinks, "I have changed. A month ago, I would have dead set against asking Lorelai's opinion. I was so sure that I could handle this parenting thing without her. Why was I so stubborn? I can't even remember now."

Lorelai's influence on April will be a good thing he thinks, as long as April doesn't pick up her insane eating habits. Maybe Lorelai's natural optimism can offset his pessimism and Anna's bitchiness.

He should probably cut Anna some slack. Even if she isn't the woman he would have picked to be the mother of his first child she had raised a wonderful daughter. To him, April seems kind of perfect.

Now his thoughts naturally progressed to the child that Lorelai is carrying. Will she be more like Rory or April or someone totally different? For some reason he always thinks of the baby as a girl even though he would sort of like a boy. Heck, he will be happy with either or maybe down the road, both.

Lorelai's child, his and Lorelai's child, it gives him a thrill every time he thinks of the baby. This child is lucky because it has Lorelai as its mother. He can't help but smile.

Suddenly Lane is snapping her fingers in his face. He had let himself daydream when he should be cooking and she is trying to bring him back to reality. He apologizes to her and starts concentrating on his job.

* * *

When Lorelai closes the door, she turns and gives Christopher her poker face. 

"So, the diner man is back." says Christopher with a bit of sarcasm in his tone.

"Luke and I are working on our relationship, yes."

"Didn't expect that, not after how he treated you. You deserve better."

Christopher's self-righteous attitude towards Luke annoys her. The last person on earth who should condemn anything about Luke is Christopher.

Lorelai carries her food and coffee back into the living, sits it on the coffee table, and waits until Chris sits down again before she sits. She really wants to eat the food but it would be rude to do so in front of him. Suddenly her stomach grows really loud.

Chris hears her stomach and laughs while pointing to the sack of food, "You aren't really going to eat that junk, are you? Come on, Lore, you're hungry. Let me take you out for some real food."

"Okay, now he's pissing me off and making snide remarks about my favorite food. Christopher, you have no idea how dangerous it is to keep me away from food right now." she thinks to herself while using all of her self control to resist tearing into the burger.

Instead, Lorelai looks intensely at Christopher as she asks, "So Chris, why are you here?"

"I told you, I came to visit the Gilmore girls."

"Uh-huh, except you aren't really the 'just popped in for a visit' type of guy. Is there something going on? Is GiGi okay?"

"Lore, what's with the inquisition? I just miss you guys."

Suddenly, her radar senses that Christopher has been drinking before he arrived. That sets off warning indicators for Lorelai. Alcohol makes Christopher act stupid.

"You just saw us. In fact, in the last month you saw us more than you had in the last ten years. I figured you would be tired of us by now."

"I just wanted to see how my girls are doing. I got use to seeing you every week up in Pennsylvania. Don't you miss me?"

In a placating tone, she responds, "Chris, it's always good to see you but this feels a little weird to me."

"Lore, I care about you. You are my family."

"Chris, I am your _friend_, Rory is your family."

"You and Rory are both my family."

"No, I'm not. Please Chris, you have been really terrific and I do appreciate all that you did for me. You were a real friend when I really needed one."

"Yes I was. You came to me when that jerk abandoned you. I was the one you needed. That means something, I know that it means something."

Sweetly she responds, "It means that I trust you to be my friend and not to take advantage of me when I'm vulnerable. And you did that, you get the gold star for dependability." Then Lorelai's voice gets a little more forceful, "Don't deceive yourself that it was anything other than that."

Christopher gets up off the sofa and begins pacing around the room. "Oh come on Lore, it means more than that. Don't _you_ try to deceive _yourself_, when you felt that you had nothing left you came to me."

Chris moves to a position that has him standing immediately in front of her. His stance looms somewhat ominously above her and she feels nervous though she tries to ignore the feeling. "This is Christopher," she tells herself, "he won't hurt you. If he wanted to ravish you he had plenty of opportunity that night. Stop it. You're just being a hormonal, crazy pregnant lady."

Lorelai reaches out to pick up her cup off of the coffee table and stands up to take a drink. The move forced Christopher to back up a couple of steps which allow Lorelai to relax.

"You're right. I did feel that I had nothing left. I had just screwed up the best relationship of my life and walked away from the only man that I truly love. I felt completely worthless. You are the one person that I know who can relate to that feeling."

Christopher, totally ignoring her obvious slight, moves closer into her personal space, "You came to me because we have this connection. We always take care of and support each other."

Lorelai neatly twists away as she sits her coffee cup back on the table. "Yes, we do have a connection, but don't delude yourself that you have been around to support me. You were MIA for most of Rory's life."

Christopher reaches over and grabs both of her hands before saying, "I know that I screwed up but I have turned my life around. I have proven that I can be what you need."

Then he pulls her close as he wraps his arms around her. Though Lorelai's puts both of her hands on his chest as she tries to push him back Christopher still manages to pull her to him for a kiss. Lorelai is mumbling for him to stop as his tongue tries to enter her mouth.

"Lore, we're meant to be together. We were always meant to be together."

Panicking, Lorelei's resistance increases. She pushes harder with her hands while digging her nails into his chest as she twists and turns trying to break free. Finally, in desperation, Lorelai lifts a bended right leg and strategically knees Christopher.

In physical pain, Christopher releases her and falls to the sofa moaning.

Lorelai, still standing, looms over him. "Honey, as your friend, I commend you for finally taking responsibility for your life and for parenting GiGi, but don't think for a single moment that in any way that makes up for how you treated Rory."

"As for you and me, it's never going to happen. We were kids when we were together, too young to know or understand love. We were stupid, unhappy kids looking for a connection to someone to make our lives bearable. All we really had in common were equally screwed up families. If Rory hadn't come along, we would have parted ways a long time ago"

"I'm not trying to hurt you Chris but you have got to face reality. I don't love you. There is absolutely no future for us. I love Luke, the romantic, 'till death do us part' kind of love. You and I never had that kind of love."

* * *

Anna can't believe that April is refusing to go to camp. Of all the problems she anticipated, that one never made the list. April had begged her relentlessly for months back in the fall to go to this camp. Why the sudden change of heart? 

Well, Anna had told April in no uncertain terms that she is going to go to this camp. The money has been sent and the arrangements are made.

Then April had become so belligerent and nasty. They had gotten into a horrible argument which ended with April threatening to call Luke.

That had done it for Anna. She had grounded April from the computer, her friends and most of all, the phone for the next 24 hours.

Not ten minutes after April stormed off to her room, Luke had called to talk with April.

* * *

Chris has his head in his hands and is staring down at the floor. He looks sad and pathetic and Lorelai's feels bad for him. For all his short comings, she will always have a warm spot in her heart for Christopher. 

Lorelai is a nurturer by nature. She wants to comfort him but won't let herself because she fears that he will misinterpret her sentiment for something that it is not. Chris has got to understand that there will never be a "Lorelai & Christopher 4ever".

All of this drama with Christopher is upsetting her and once again her nausea has returned, probably because she is hungry. She gets up and goes to the kitchen to get a glass of tomato juice (Luke had conveniently left a pitcher in the frig). She hears Christopher follow her.

"Lore, I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I didn't plan to do that. I really just wanted to come and see you and make sure that you are alright. I guess when I saw him at the door, it just sort of set me off."

"Chris, don't pretend that this has anything to do with Luke. This is between you and me. Even if Luke wasn't in the picture, there would not be a you and me. You don't love me Chris, not that way. You're lonely and I'm a known quantity. What your feeling for me isn't love, believe me, it's more like I'm your security blanket."

"Wait Lorelai don't pretend _you_ know what I feel. Maybe you don't love me, but don't try to devalue my feelings for you. I do love you."

"Chris, you don't even know me. To you I am still the wild 16 year old in the Pinky Tuscadero tee shirt who is trying to convince you that Metallica rules. Hun, I have not been that girl for over twenty years."

In an attempt to finally get Christopher to see clearly, Lorelai continues, "After Rory was born I took one path and you chose another. I came to Stars Hollow where I found friends and built a weird extended family of sorts. I made a home, something I never really had before and I grew up. "

"I don't stay in Stars Hollow because of Luke and I don't love Luke because he is part of Stars Hollow. I stay in the Hollow because it is my home and I love Luke for so many reasons. He is the first man to actually know me, the real me and he still loves me. He is the kindest, most compassionate, smartest, sexiest, honest, patient, understanding, reliable, giving, trustworthy, funny, strongest...", Lorelai stops to take a breath before continuing.

Christopher takes the opportunity to stop her. "I get it, Luke is the perfect man."

Lorelai, looking at him sincerely she replies, "He is for me. We are two halves that fit perfectly together and make a whole."

"So, if he's so perfect, why the big break-up?"

"Oh Chris, that's so complicated. It never had anything to do with how much we care about each other. At our ages, we both come equipped with a full set of baggage. Our problems stem from both of us having trouble learning to balance the responsibilities and obligations in our lives along with a full set of insecurities and doubts. If I can't make it work with Luke then I can't make it work with anyone."

"So I guess that means I should butt out of the Gilmores' life."

"I'm not saying that Chris, Rory is still your daughter. I'm saying it's time you quit using me as the conduit to connect with your daughter. You need build your relationship with Rory completely separate from me. You and I will still see each other because we are still Rory's parents and I'm always here if you need a friend but we aren't going to hang out together. That wouldn't be fair to Luke and his feelings are important to me." Then Lorelai smiles capriciously, "In case you didn't realize it, he's not terribly fond of you."

Chris smiles weekly, "Yeah, I kind of gathered that we won't be hanging together for beers." Then he takes on a more indignant posture, "You aren't being very fair, Lorelai. I have worked hard to prove that I can be a father to Rory. I have a good relationship with her now. She knows that she can depend on me. I'm paying for Yale."

"Christopher, your relationship with Rory is more like a distant uncle than her father."

"Well, she's 21, she doesn't need much fathering now."

"Chris, don't be a dope. No one ever outgrows their need for their father's approval. Show Rory how proud you are by actually spending time with her. I never thought that I would say this, but take a play out of the Emily and Richard playbook and set up regular visits with Rory. I'm not saying you should plan a regular Friday night dinner obligation but maybe a regular bi-monthly or even monthly get together."

"Have her over for dinner with just you and GiGi. It doesn't matter if you can cook, order pizza. Just spend time together and talk. Tell her about your job. She once asked me what you do and I had no idea other than it's with software. Don't you think it's sad that your daughter doesn't even know what you do?"

"You should make the effort to actually get to know your daughter finally. I think you will find that she is a multi-faceted and intriguing person. It's time for you to take the initiative in your relationship with Rory. Quit waiting for her to call you."

* * *

Luke closes up early. He is anxious to get to Lorelai's. It isn't quite 8:30 when he knocks on the door but she doesn't answer. All of the lights are on downstairs and he can hear the TV, so he knocks louder but still no answer. 

He tries the door but it's locked. For the first time since their breakup, Luke pulls out his key and uses it. He walks in anxiously calling out Lorelai's name but no response. As he walks around this seemingly empty house, his heart leaps with a sudden feeling of deja vu. No Lorelai.

When he walks into the living he sees her body sprawled on the sofa. Suddenly he is terrified beyond comprehension. He runs to her side, kneeling on the floor as he pulls her body into his arms. Calling to her in frighten voice, "Lorelai, Lorelai, oh God, Lorelai! Please wake up!"

She stirs and opens her eyes. A confused look spreads across her face and as her eyes focus on him, she questions "Luke? "

He pulls her close to him in a relieved and soothing embrace. "Oh thank God, I thought something happened to you." Luke holds her like he never wants to let her go.

Lorelai had been totally exhausted by the time Christopher left. Their talk had emotionally drained her and she had collapsed on the sofa into one of those really deep sleeps. Now she is having trouble arousing fully from its clutches. Some parts of her brain are lagging behind and not in sync.

"It's Luke" her mind processes, "and he just woke me from a really good sleep." Next her mind registers that he is hugging her really tight in an almost panicky embrace. "Why?" she wonders momentarily but with no ideas really creeping through the mist she lets the question fade and just enjoys the moment.

Slowing various perceptions are beginning to seep through; she's not in her room but in the living room, she's not in bed but on the sofa. Now her brain begins to form coherent questions. Is it day or night? Why is she on the sofa? What's wrong with Luke and why is he acting this way?

When Luke couldn't find Lorelai he had flashed back to that day right before she left; when she had been avoiding him. He hadn't understood what was going on then. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't see the pain that she was in. Then she had left him. He couldn't go through that again; he wouldn't go through that again.

Luke began to relax his hold and asked, "Lorelai, you okay? You didn't answer when I called and I got scarred."

"Luke, I'm fine. I was asleep, sound asleep and you woke me."

"I'm sorry. I just..I'm sorry. Are you sure you're okay?" Luke released his hug and moved his hands to her shoulder as he pulled back to examine her face."

"Yes, I'm fine. A little confused but fine."

Relieved but still in a high state of anxiety, Luke pulled her back in for another impassioned embrace, "Oh God Lorelai, don't do that to me again. I was so afraid that you left me. Please, don't ever leave me again."

Confused and still not totally alert Lorelai responds warmly to his embrace while saying, "It's okay Luke, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Still kneeling next to the sofa, Luke pulls back from Lorelai and gazes into her eyes, "Lorelai, marry me."

"What?"

"I said, I want you to marry me. Marry me now, tomorrow, next week, whenever but marry me."

Dazed and shocked by his question, Lorelai's eyes are darting around the room looking for something to make sense of what is going on. Finally she looks at Luke with pain in her face as she tells him, "No, you said you didn't want to get married. You needed time and space."

"I never said that I didn't want to marry you. I have always been sure that I wanted to marry you. I never had any doubts about that."

Highly agitated, Lorelai pushes him back as she gets up and paces around the room. "I told you that I wanted to elope and you said no."

Luke gets up and puts his hands on her arms to stop her pacing. Looking directly at her, he responds, "I never said no. I was stupid and it was all happening so fast. I screwed up. You know I don't deal well with situations like that. I needed time, time to catch up, time to stop being so stupid but I never said no."

Lorelei looks down at her shoes saying, "No, you don't want to be married. You have April and Anna to think about."

Luke tries to make eye contact with Lorelai but is only half successful before he tells her, "I am, I mean I have. No what I mean is April likes you, she's fine with having you as a step-mother. So if there are issues that come up, and there probably will be, then we will just have to work through together, you and me and April. Anna has nothing to do with this."

"She's the mother of you daughter."

"Yes, and Christopher is the father of yours. Neither one of them has bearing on the fact that we love each other and belong together. I will always have to deal with Anna because of April as you will have to see Christopher but neither as anything to do with us being married."

"But you need time."

"No I don't. You gave me time and it allowed me to be stupid. I've already been stupid, I don't need more time. But maybe you do?"

Luke wraps his arm around her and steers to back to sit on the sofa. He kneels in front of her. "I think you need time to regain the trust that my stupidity wrecked. So you've got it. As much time as you need."

Luke takes the chain from around his neck and removes Lorelai's engagement ring he had been wearing since she returned to town. He takes and slips it on her third finger of her left hand. "You can think of this as an engagement ring or as a promise ring, because with this ring I promise that I will never leave or make you doubt how I feel about you again."

Lorelai stares at the ring as she says, "But what if I can never get past this feeling?"

"Then I'll be Kurt Russell and you'll be Goldie Hawn and we'll live together for the rest of our lives."

Lorelai raises her head to question Luke, "We'll live together?"

"Did I fail to mention that I am moving in here tonight?"

"You want to move in here with me? Why?" This is happening so fast for Lorelai. She always wanted him to officially move in but he wouldn't. He always had excuses not to do it. "What if you have early deliveries?"

"Then I have to get up 5 minutes early."

"What if I start to get a sore throat?"

"Then I put the kettle on and make you tea with honey and lemon."

Luke knew what she was doing. She was remembering a time when he tried to pretend that he was living with Nicole. He knew he wasn't, Nicole knew he wasn't, and most of all Lorelai knew. He is not going to pretend this time.

"But I won't put the milk back in the same place. That will annoy you."

"As long as you put the milk in back in the frig, I'll deal. Now if you leave it out all day, we will have words.'

"But you're the loner guy, you don't like having someone expect you to come home."

"Maybe I use to be but not now. I love knowing that you are waiting for me. Besides with your crazy hours at the Inn, I'll be the one waiting half of the time."

"You're just doing this because of the baby."

"No, the baby won't be born for months. I am doing this because I want to be with you. It's stupid that we are apart. If I hadn't screwed it up we would have been married on June 3rd and happily living together. Instead, I was stupid and lost you. I spent June 3rd above the diner in that empty apartment without you drinking myself into oblivion because I wasn't getting married to my best friend and the love of my life. I won't do that again."

"So you really want to live her with me?"

"Yes, more than anything."

Lorelai is waging a war with herself. She wants Luke to move in, she wants to get married but something is stopping her from believing it will ever happen. Something always goes wrong.

Finally, her heart wins over her head and she looks at Luke. "Okay, when can you move in?"

"You want to come with me to pack now?" Luke asks with a snicker.

Lorelai leans into towards Luke to kiss. She teases, "I said you could move in, I said nothing about packing."

Luke responds with a more passionate kiss to indicate that he has other ideas than packing at the moment. He pushes her down on the sofa and begins to kiss her neck. She giggles because his beard is tickling her.

Just then, the phone rings. Lorelai looks at Luke and laughs, "Just let the machine get it." Luke agrees and returns his attention to her neck.

On the forth ring, the machine picks up. The volume was high on the machine, so they both heard the familiar voice say, "Lorelai, it's your mother."

(tbc)


	17. Chapter 17 Back

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 17 – Back**

"_Lorelai, it's your mother. Lorelai, Rory? For heaven's sake are you ever home? I hate these silly machines. Well, it seems that your father's company can barely survive without him for another day or some such nonsense so we have to come back early. We will arrive in Hartford on Wednesday so we will expect to see you both on Friday for dinner. See you then. Richard, tell the bellman not to forget the hanging… (click)"_

Luke stops his seduction of Lorelai when he hears Emily's voice. Both Luke and Lorelai sit up and listen to the message.

Luke looks at Lorelai when it is over, "Your parents are out of town?"

"Uh-huh, they left over a month ago. They are supposed to be gone for another month."

"So do they know about, uh, what happened with us?"

"Yes."

Surprised, Luke looks at Lorelai as he asked, "You've been talking with your parents?"

With a look of incredulity Lorelai responds with a definitive, "No." Then as a means of explanation, she adds, "Rory".

"So-o-o, they probably hate me even more, right? Does that win or lose me points with you?"

Almost as if it is answering, Lorelai's stomach growls causing her to grin broadly, "I don't know but since we are apparently hungry, if you feed us I'll get you bonus points"

Luke leans over and gives Lorelai a quick kiss, "So, I suppose that before I pack or… ", he gives her a lascivious leer, "I'm fixing dinner."

* * *

It's Monday morning and Anna is running late. She calls out to April to say goodbye. 

April comes out still sulking and there's an edge to her voice, "Bye."

"Now April, remember you are to stay in today, no one can come over, no computer and no phone."

"So if the house catches on fire, I can't call 911?"

"Don't be a smart aleck. You may use the phone for any emergency but no social calls. You're grounded but not imprisoned

April heads back to her room mumbling under breath "I don't see the difference."

* * *

It had been a busy morning in the store for Anna and she had made quite a few sales which is unusual for a Monday. This is good since it keeps her busy and she is nervous about the call she plans to make later today to the Mirkan School. 

The Mirkan School is a private school for academically gifted girls located in the Santa Monica Mountains of California. They contacted April and Anna following the infamous science fair last November. Evidently, they monitor school science fairs looking for potential students of a certain caliber. April fits their criteria.

Apparently this school specializes in developing and educating girls who show an exceptionally high aptitude in science and math. The school has a special affiliation with Caltech and their mission is to promote females in the science and math fields.

They tested April and obviously liked the results because they offered her a partial scholarship to attend. April had been pretty excited until she realized the school is in California. She didn't want to attend a boarding school and she knew that there was no way her mother would move them to Santa Monica so she could attend as a day student. The idea of the school is forgotten, almost.

This school remained in the back of Anna's mind. She hadn't realized that someday it might come in handy.

The Mirkan School is known for the caliber of students that it produces and its graduates are sought out by some of the most prestigious schools in the nation. It's extremely challenging but Mirkan graduates are considered the most advanced for their ages in the science and math fields. It utilizes the unusual practice of a 270 day school year instead of the average 180 day that most American schools schedule. Their academic year followed a less traditional year round schedule of 90 days of instruction followed by 20 days of vacation. That schedule is suddenly very appealing to Anna.

All she has to do is relocate with April to California and put her in the Mirkan School. Then it will be difficult for Luke to have more than a casual relationship with April. Worse case scenario, April will spend half of her school vacations with him which will be only three times a year for ten days plus maybe weekly phone calls. It will be basically just Anna and April again.

Getting Anna into the school is only a part of the problem. SinceAnna intends to move with April to California, she had to figure out what to do with her boutique and find a job in Santa Monica to support them.

Of course she has already dealt with these problems. In her discussion with Eleanor Michaels they reached a mutually advantageous agreement. Eleanor will buy half an ownership of Anna's boutique and in return Anna will buy in as a partner with Eleanor's company, Michaels' Marketing which is located in Santa Monica. Eleanor's business has grown to the point that she needs help and Anna has all of the right qualifications and connections. Anna's friend Donna will run the boutique until the new partners can hire someone full time.

The latest problem that arose is April stubbornness about attending the camp. Sending her to that camp is a key element to Anna's scheme. It is the cover to explain why Anna and April are traveling to California without anyone suspecting that they are actually moving there permanently

Anna is confident that, given a little time, she can convince April to agree to camp. So really the only hurtle remaining after she gets April into the school is getting Luke to officially authorize Anna to take April to California. Of course he will think that it is only for the camp but if Anna words the permission letter right, he won't have any legal recourse to force them to return to Connecticut.

* * *

Babette, Patty and Taylor all show up at Sookie's house Monday evening. The town had been abuzz all day. Lorelai had appeared at the diner this morning wearing the ring. Neither Luke nor Lorelai would explain anything but obviously the engagement is back on. 

Sookie, of course, knows the whole story. She had spent the first two hours this morning in "conference" with Lorelai in her private office at the Inn.

Lorelai is thankful that during the Inn's construction, she had ordered solid wood doors and had Tom insulate her office for sound. Twice during their "conference", Lorelai had unexpectedly opened the door and found Michel with his ear next to it. He claims that he was simply picking up dropped papers, but Lorelai knows it is killing Michel not to know what the girls are talking about.

Actually very little of the "conference" had to do with the Dragonfly. Most of it is filling Sookie in on what had happened since yesterday morning. Sookie praises her for finally setting Christopher straight and is relieved that Luke had apparently convinced Lorelai that he had no interest in Anna.

Sookie is still a bit concern that Lorelai is unwilling to discuss a wedding. Oddly, Lorelai is insisting the former engagement ring is now only a promise ring. Sookie doesn't really understand the concept of the promise since she thinks an engagement is a promise but since Luke seems to be making headway with Lorelai, she's not going to make waves.

When Lorelai announces that Luke is officially moving into the Crap Shack, Sookie squeals with joy. With Luke living there all of the time, he's bound to be able to convince Lorelai to finally marry him.

For some strange reason, Lorelai still insists that they aren't ready to be married. Sookie tried to talk some sense into Lorelai but she is stubborn and not willing to discuss it.

Naturally, Sookie doesn't dare to tell Babette, Patty and Taylor any of this. Also, Sookie doesn't correct their impression that the engagement is back on because she still doesn't get the whole "promise ring" concept. She does manage to convince them to postpone their surprise wedding.

After all, since the engagement is back on, almost everyone agrees that the couple will be planning their own wedding. Unfortunately, Taylor doesn't trust that Luke and Lorelai will ever do that. He insists that the group continues to plan a wedding but agrees to pick a different date.

The group has made a lot more headway in the plans than Sookie expected. They have collected over $7,000.00 from towns' people to pay for the decorations and help defer the cost of the food. They persuaded the contractor, Tom, to donate the use of two of his workers to build a temporary floor to put down in the square since Miss Patty insists the wedding must include salsa dancing and no one can properly salsa on grass.

The local ladies sewing and quilting circle agreed to make the two hundred slip covers for the folding chairs. The slip covers were Tillie's idea since she thought the mismatched folding chairs that Patty is donating are tacky. Instead of being offended, Miss Patty embraced the idea since she will get to keep the slip covers after the wedding.

Patty has many contacts and secured sources with cut rate prices for the tulle, candles, and the flowers. Babette promised that Morey and some of his musician friends will play at the ceremony. Though no one has said anything to Lane yet, it's a given by all that of course Hep Alien will play at the reception.

Sookie makes a suggestion that she has been thinking about for a while. Instead of the town square, Sookie thinks they should use the garden at the Dragonfly as the location. First of all, it will be easier to keep Luke and Lorelai away from the location while they are decorating. Secondly, the Dragonfly has a sentimental meaning for both Luke and Lorelai. Finally in the town square, it will be difficult to use the Chuppa. Sookie is adamant that the Chuppa that Luke made for Lorelai be central in the wedding.

The team agrees to the new location. They decide to meet at the Dragonfly tomorrow afternoon to take measurements so they can draw sketches of the layout. Sookie assures them that neither Lorelai nor Luke will be around after 1:30.

The next issue is wardrobe. Since everyone knows that Lorelai has her dress already so that's not a problem. Of course, Sookie has a concern that she can't tell them. Lorelai may not be able to fit into her dress because of the pregnancy. Sookie figures they will deal with that problem when the time comes.

Sookie suggests that it is time tell Rory about the plans. She assures them that Rory will be supportive of the idea of the surprise wedding plus they will need her in on the plans if for no other reason than she is the maid of honor and has to get a dress. Sookie volunteers to speak with her.

The group leaves Sookie's house that evening with the promise that they all will reconvene tomorrow at 1:30 outside of the Dragonfly.

* * *

Lorelai arrives at the diner a little after 12:30 on Tuesday. Luke suggested that she come by early so they can eat lunch before heading to the doctor's appointment. She goes upstairs to wait for him to bring up their food. 

Looking through the closet, Lorelai is pleased to see that it is almost empty. The only items remaining are one pair of jeans covered with various hues of paint, some worn out tees and the blue flannel shirt she sleeps in. All of his photographs and most of his personal items are now in boxes in her, ah correction, their house. Luke's personal pots, pans, and cooking utensils are now in their kitchen. All that's left in the refrigerator is some bottled water, a half consumed carton of orange juice, a pitcher of tomato juice and some Hostess Ho Ho's (she forgot she left those here).

As she eats the Ho Ho's, she pours out a glass of tomato juice. She is becoming addicted to this stuff. She's now drinking about six glasses a day. Though she started to drink it just to keep the nausea at bay, now she really craves it.

Luke makes sure that there is always a fresh pitcher at home and now he put some in here. Sookie also made a pitcher of it for the Dragonfly. There is a fresh supply in the diner refrigerator too though it's no longer just for her. Caesar found it over the weekend and started selling it. Evidently, all of Stars Hallow residents are also craving fresh tomato juice. It's became a big seller.

The fresh tomato juice is so popular that Luke decided to buy one of those fancy juicers for the diner. Making enough tomato juice in a blender for the demand had become too time consuming. He picked it up this morning.

He loves his new juicer (boys and their toys). Luke has visions of introducing the diner clientele to healthier eating by selling various fresh vegetable juices in the diner. He hasn't gone that far yet, but it looks like the new juicer may pay for itself quickly with the tomato juice sales alone.

Lorelai is skeptical of the new juicer. She suspects that Luke will try to sneak other vegetables into her tomato juice like broccoli or cauliflower. She knows that he hid spinach in the lasagna that he made for dinner last night. She would have been mad at him for ruining the meal except apparently the baby really likes spinach in the lasagna. Lorelai ate over half of the casserole all by herself.

Luke comes upstairs with their lunches and sees her drinking the glass of tomato juice. "Stomach?" he asks.

"Just a little queasy." she lies. He would be intolerably smug if he knew that she actually liked the stuff. No way will she ever admit that to him.

Luke fights to keep from smiling. Lorelai didn't mention anything about the juice tasting weird. That's good. He had used his new juicer to include both broccoli and cauliflower in with the tomatoes when he made up that pitcher. If she had gotten upset, he would have claimed that he made it for himself and not for her.

He brought her what she wanted for lunch but the combination of foods she requested is making him a little queasy. Lorelai couldn't decide whether she felt like tuna salad or egg salad so she opted for both. Luke made her tuna salad and put it in a tomato and fixed her an egg salad sandwich on whole wheat. She also wanted chili cheese fries, a chocolate banana milk shake and blueberry pie.

Luke made a small tuna fish salad for himself and hoped that he wouldn't be too nauseas watching Lorelai eat her weird choices of food to eat his own

He won't admit it, but he is really excited about going to the doctor today. Well not exactly excited to go to the doctor per se but just to find out about the baby officially. He also intends to ask the doctor some questions and get all the information that he can about what he should do to make the pregnancy easier and healthier for Lorelai.

Lorelai had brought him a change of clothes, a clean pair of jeans and his blue cotton shirt. Not that he feels that he needs to impress the doctor but he doesn't want to smell like burgers and fries while setting in the waiting room. He plans to shower and change before they leave.

He knows that it had upset Lorelai when he chose to leave a backup set grooming supplies and a towel and wash cloth at the apartment. But it makes sense to keep some stuff here for situations just like today. He just wishes that Lorelai didn't see everything as some ominous indication that he isn't fully committed.

* * *

Luke is fussing at Lorelai to hurry up but of course she has not completed her primping. In frustration, he tells her he will leave in five minutes, with or without her which of course she totally ignores. Yeah, like he'll go to the OB/GYN without her. 

Luke heads downstairs to check with Caesar while waiting for Lorelai. Miss Patty happens to be in the diner and notices that Luke is dressed up a little from his normal attire. Lucky for Luke, she is so thoroughly enjoying the unobstructed view of his ass (he has his shirt tucked in) that she fails to quiz him on where he is going. He and Lorelai had never discussed a cover story.

Luke is about to go back upstairs and yell at Lorelai again when the diner door opens and in walks Anna. She immediately heads toward the stairs to his apartment while explaining, "I need a minute of your time to go over some stuff for April."

Luke momentarily panics. He doesn't know what to do. Normally he would automatically take her upstairs to talk in private but Lorelai is there. Then he gets his head back on straight and thinks, "What the hell, anything she wants to say to me, she say in front of Lorelai." So he follows her.

As they are walking up the stairs, Luke asks, "Is April alright? Her burn is healing okay, isn't it?"

"She's good, Luke. The burn seems to be healing fine, no infection."

As they reach the door to the apartment, Luke asks, "So Anna, what's this about?"

Walking into the apartment, Anna responds, "I just need you to sign some papers. With the custody agreement, it seems I need your approval to take April to her camp session. It's no big thing."

"What camp?" Luke questions as he spots Lorelai coming out of the bathroom looking at him. He acknowledges Lorelai's presence by turning to her and saying, "Anna needed something for April. It seems April is going to camp or something this summer."

"Hey Anna!" Lorelai greets her politely while trying not to send nasty looks in her direction. She is pissed at Anna for the stunt she pulled Sunday when she refused to let Luke speak with April. Lorelai thought that was petty and mean and just plan wrong.

Luke's a little pissed at Anna also for Sunday. He is not in a very conciliatory mood towards her plus her little impromptu visit is delaying Luke's and Lorelai's departure for the doctor which is also pissing him off. Anna shouldn't have just showed up expecting him to be available for her, she should have called first.

Luke turns back towards Anna, "So what's this camp you're talking about? I didn't know that she is planning to go to any camp. This is the first I heard about it."

Anna is also a little pissed because Lorelai is here. This is not going the way she planned. She had planned just to surprise Luke with the papers and drag him off to a notary to get a quick signature. She had observed that he is always a little nervous around her and figures she could use that to get him to sign without any questions.

The only time that Luke had not been awkward around her was last Saturday at the Emergency Room. Anna noticed how much more self-assured and in control he appeared and she had caulked it up to Lorelai presence. That is another reason she doesn't like Lorelai around.

Lorelai moves to stand next to Luke in a subtle play to establish her claim on him in front of Anna. Something about Anna today is raising a warning signal. For some reason, she is sensing that Ann is trying to pull something over on Luke and Lorelai is feeling suddenly a bit protective. Or she could just be feeling jealous.

Anna, who is sensing that this is not the right time for her little ploy, tries to bow out of the situation graciously. "Oh were you two going somewhere? I didn't mean to intrude. I can come back another time and we can go over these."

Anna starts to leave but Lorelai is a little quicker. She reaches out and takes the papers that Anna is holding while saying, "Nonsense, why don't you just leave them here for Luke to go over. He can call you if he has any questions and then send them back with April tonight." Turning towards Luke, she remarks sweetly, "Tuesday is April's night to visit you, isn't it hon?"

Luke is enjoying this little interaction between Lorelai and Anna in a sort of perverse way. Lorelai is acting all protective and possessive of him. After all of the guys that he had been jealous of over the years, it is nice to feel the shoe on the other foot.

He had never really seen her act the least bit jealous of any women around him. Of course, there hadn't been a lot of women for her to be jealous of. She had actually started to become friends with Rachael which had made him uncomfortable. Of course, she acted a little hostile towards Nicole but it had never occurred to him that she might be jealous of Nicole. He always thought she just didn't like her.

Luke responds to Lorelai, "Yes it is. We should be back no later than 3:30, right? I suppose it would be easier if we just stopped by and picked up April on the way home." Turning to Anna, "That way you don't have to come back to drop her off. Then you can pick her up at say, 7:30? Or we can take her home if you'd like. I'll give the papers back to you then."

Anna, feeling that the situation is spinning out of her control tries to recover. "But they need to be notarized." Anna starts to grab them back from Lorelai but Lorelai has deftly started to put them into her purse.

Lorelai smiles coyly towards Anna as she says, "No problem." Then she turns toward Luke, "You can just have Kirk notarize them for you."

Anna realizing that she is in a no win situation tries to put on a pleasant face. She had forgotten that April usually comes to the diner on Tuesday. Things are not working out at all like she planned. With no other recourse, Anna replies, "That will be fine. I'll tell April to expect you around 3:30 and I'll pick her up at 7:30. You can give me the papers back then." Anna turns and leaves.

Luke and Lorelai follow right behind and head to the doctor's office.

* * *

Waiting in the doctor's office is every bit as excruciating as Luke had imagined. He is the only guy there and all of the women are in various stages of pregnancy. They range from looking sort of uncomfortable to down right miserable. 

And oh the smell. He hoped that an OB's office would smell different but it still has that same antiseptic smell that he associates with pain and death. He expected it to smell of life not death.

They arrive a few minutes before 2:00 and Lorelai checks in. She holds his hand as they wait and talks a mile a minute about all the different cars they saw on the trip to the doctor's office.

He knows what she is doing. She's trying to keep his mind off of where they are by talking. She doesn't really know anything about cars but she knows he does. She is making the most outlandish statements just to insight a rant from him.

He loves her for it.

After about 10 minutes, they call Lorelai's name. She gets up and indicates that he is to wait. Part of him is grateful because he doesn't really want to watch as the doctor examines Lorelai but he also doesn't really relish staying in this waiting room with all of the pregnant women either.

After Lorelai's leaves, another woman comes in accompanied by her son who looks to Luke to be barely two if that old. The woman looks like she's going give birth any minute. As soon as the woman sits down, her little boy dumps over the diaper bag that she had been carrying and everything spills out.

Luke, being a gentleman, immediately starts to pick up everything for her. The woman laughs and thanks him explaining that she can't really bend down to pick up things very well. He smiles shyly as he wonders how she can possible take care of an active little boy in her condition.

The little boy is trying to help Luke pick up all of the items. He hands Luke a pacifier saying "binky". Luke has no idea what he means by "binky" but thanks the kid anyway.

After all the items are gathered back into the bag, Luke returns to his seat but the little boy is still fascinated with him. Now the kid is pulling the stuff back out of the bag again and giving to Luke to hold. Luke looks to the mother who laughs and says, "He's at that age when he likes to take things out of containers. You should feel honored. He usually only gives the stuff to me, he's kind of shy of strangers. He must really like you."

Luke is amused and secretly pleased. Kids have always been kind of afraid of him but he never really cared because he didn't really want anything to do with them. Even Davey and Martha, Sookie's kids who he had been around the most, took a long time before they seemed comfortable with him. He's wondering if actually knowing he is s father made him have a different aura or something that kids can sense.

Maybe their baby won't be afraid of him.

Finally the nurse comes out and calls, "Mr. Danes?"

He gets up and follows her. As he walking down the corridor, he's trying not to look around. There are several women walking around the hallway in those flimsy paper gowns and he doesn't want to embarrass them. Finally the nurse leads him to the last door (naturally) in the hallway. She opens it and Luke walks in to find Lorelai still getting dressed.

"Hey, everything okay?" he asks.

"So far so good. Have to wait for the tests to come back to be sure. The doctor should be in any minute to talk with us. You okay, you don't look so good?"

"I don't like doctor's offices any better than hospitals. Plus, there are all those women out there running around in those flimsy examination gowns and they all have them on backwards. None of them seem to be really shy, if you know what I mean. They should have a separate entrance for men."

"What do you mean they're wearing the gowns backwards?"

"You know, with the opening in the front. You're supposed to wear it with the opening in the back. Everyone knows that."

"Oh hon, you are so innocent. A woman's examination doesn't involve bending over and coughing you know." Waving her had downward from her neck she adds, "Everything that they want to check is on this side."

Luke blushes slightly and answers, "Well then, they need to make those gowns bigger because they aren't closing all of the way with some of the ladies and they don't seem to care."

"Babe, once a woman has a baby she looses all modesty about her body. She spends the first nine months being looked at, poked and prodded. Then when it's time to deliver, an entire gang of strangers are staring at her privates. Believe me, the last thing she cares about is modesty. She'll let anyone look at any part of her as long as they can help get that kid out."

Just then the doctor knocks and comes in. Luke is kind of happy that Lorelai's doctor is a female. He wouldn't have been comfortable with some good looking stud of a doctor seeing and touching Lorelai so intimately.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Lorelai inquires.

"You're definitely pregnant. Is this daddy?"

Luke holds out his hand, "Yes, Luke Danes. Luke."

Shaking his hand, she answers, "Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah McDowell. Call me Sarah, please sit down. Now I need you to fill out this questionnaire. Don't worry, it's standard procedure. It will just help with the screening process."

Luke asks, "Screening?"

"Yes, just a standard procedure that we use along with other non-evasive procedures to see if there is anything we need to look out for. If we find something, we can perform some other tests that are a little more invasive but highly accurate to determine if there is anything to be concerned about"

That makes Luke feel a little better since it seems just routine but he wonders about these other tests that she is talking about so he mentions one he knows, "Amniocentesis?"

"That's a possibility but it's much too soon to decide that. We don't perform those tests until around 16th or 17th week. Much too early since we calculate you are not quite 7 weeks along. I would like to schedule an ultrasound as soon as possible though. It will give us a more accurate way to determine the age of the fetus."

Lorelai asks, "But you said you heard a heartbeat, right?"

Sarah smiles, "Yes, which is a very good sign. We don't always hear the heart this early but…"

Both Lorelai's and Luke's faces fell as they were suddenly concern with the "but".

"…I need to prepare you. No, don't panic but I may have heard more than one heart, actually two separate hearts which means you could be carrying twins. It's a little difficult to be sure at this stage so the second heart may have been an echo. That's why we need the Ultrasound."

Sarah turns to Luke and explains to him, "The baby is less than an inch long at this stage and weights less than a 1/3 of an ounce. Hopefully the little bugger or buggers won't be shy during the Ultrasound and we can get a definitive answer."

Sarah gives the couple a little time to absorb the news. Luke gets out of his chair and moves to sit next to Lorelai on the examination table. He puts his arm around her as she grabs his other hand. They both look at each other sort of in shock for a moment. Then they both break out in big smiles as they simultaneously say essentially the same thing. Luke says, 'Your dream!" as Lorelai is saying, "My dream!"

Sarah gives them a few minutes to compose themselves. They had an unusual reaction to her news but obviously they are happy. Half of the time when she tells new parents that they are about to have twins, one or both of them pass out. This reaction is definitely better.

Sarah starts to hand Lorelai some brochures explaining what she should do and what she should avoid during the pregnancy but Luke takes them first. Lorelai gives him a dirty look before she explains to Sarah, "He's the cook in the family."

Sarah goes over the information while Luke, who actually did bring a pen from the diner this time, is taking notes. When she states that Lorelai needs to cut out coffee all together, Luke gives Lorelai one his patented "I told you so" looks to which she responds using her "Shut-up or you won't be getting any for a while" look.

When Sarah finishes she asks if they have any questions. Luke wants to know if Lorelai's morning sickness that last all day and sometimes into the night is normal. Sara assures him that it is. She does want to make sure that Lorelai is handling the sickness and when they tell her about the tomato juice, she laughs.

Sarah explains that she has heard some colleagues mention that they have patients that use tomato juice or other high acid content juices but it's rare. "Normally the morning sickness is due to over acidity in the stomach but obviously in your case, Lorelai, your stomach must be too alkaline. Hey, whatever works for you is good but keep me apprised of the situation."

This makes sense to Luke. He always knew that Lorelai had an abnormal stomach, now he has proof.

Next he mentions that Lorelai seems to tire more easily and need more sleep. Sarah isn't surprised since Lorelai is a little anemic but hopefully the prenatal vitamins along with the iron tablets she prescribed should correct the problem. Again, Sarah wants to be kept informed if the tiredness continues.

Luke makes a note to include more iron rich foods in her diet.

Lorelai hates this. She can just see Luke calculating ways to torture her with high iron food. She makes a mental note not to let him come to anymore doctor visits.

Luke starts to get sort of fidgety. The next question that he wants to ask is tricky. He really wishes that he could ask it without Lorelai hearing. He starts thinking that maybe he'll call the doctor himself so Lorelai doesn't hear.

Sarah sees his discomfort but misinterprets it. She starts explaining that they can continue to have sexual intercourse well into the third trimester as long as there are no problems with the pregnancy. She assures him that the baby or babies are well protected in the womb and will have no idea what Mom and Dad are doing.

She does warn that it is not uncommon for Mom to be less interested in sex during the first trimester due to the fatigue, nausea, breast tenderness, and the increased need to urinate. During the second trimester when the fatigue and nausea subside her desire for sex might even increase. During the third trimester, her sex drive will probably decrease because she is uncomfortable.

Luke would be thoroughly embarrassed talking about their sex life if he wasn't so ashamed of himself. He hadn't even thought about how the pregnancy might impact their sex life. He feels like such an ass for being so insensitive. All he had wanted to ask about were Lorelai's mood swings.

Lorelei is feeling really warm and sentimental right now. It really touches her that Luke is so involved in the pregnancy. She remembers last time, Christopher wouldn't talk about her pregnancy at all and made excuses to avoid her as she started getting bigger. He never even wanted to hear anything about the prenatal Rory.

When they finish with the doctor, they make an appointment for the Ultrasound on Thursday at 10:00 AM. When they leave the office, they head for the pharmacy to pick up the prenatal vitamins and iron tablets. Lorelai wants to get them here because if she buys them in Stars Hallow, the secret will be out. She's not ready for that.

They leave the pharmacy walking arm in arm, each are thinking their own thoughts.

Lorelai is still felling mostly warm and happy but there is a growing sense of fear that all this, a pregnancy with twins no less, might end up being too much for Luke to deal with. She's afraid that he might start withdrawing again just like he did after he found out about April. Just like Christopher did with Rory.

Luke is having totally mundane and practical thoughts. "First, I need to get a new vehicle. No way will my truck work toting a baby, or two babies around. I need something big enough for Lorelai, April, Rory, two babies, and myself. Plus, babies have a lot crap that you have to tote around. Maybe a minivan is not such a bad idea, maybe two, one for me and one for Lorelai."

Then he starts thinking about the house. "It's too bad that Lorelai wasn't ready to buy the Twickum house before. Now it's off of the market."

"Well they could just add on to her house. It needs at least one more bathroom (he almost walked in on Rory in the shower the other day). We need a least one more bedroom for the babies and I would like a room so that April can stay over. Rory's room will always be there for her so we need to add at least two more bedrooms, but three would probably be better. Actually, we really need two more bathrooms. Maybe Lorelai is ready to look for another house."

Luke glances at Lorelai as they head out to pick up April. He notices that she looks a little worried and he starts scolding himself. "Of course she scared, she has a human being, maybe two growing inside of her. Here I am going on about cars and houses when I should be thinking about her and what she's going through."

Lorelai looks at Luke and wonders what he's thinking about so seriously. "Is he sorry that he got himself into this mess with me? Now he's going to be saddled with three kids to worry about, he is having enough issues learning to deal with just one. Can he handle two more? Will he really want to handle two more or will he feel trapped? One day will he look at me and think 'I use to care about Lorelai back in the day but now I don't like the person she has become'? "

As their eyes make contact for just a moment, the same though enters each of their heads, "We need to really talk."

(tbc)


	18. Chapter 18 Closer

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 18 – Closer**

April is sensing something weird about Luke and Lorelai today. It's not like they're fighting or anything, but it's just that there's a weird vibe. Lorelai is unusually quiet and Luke seems to be sort of preoccupied yet they both seem to be trying so hard to act normal that it's abnormal.

Her mom has been acting weird lately too. She is also kind of preoccupied and nervous. April wonders if it is some cosmic occurrence that only affects grown ups and makes them all act weird.

"So your Mom tells me that you're going to camp," Luke begins finally.

"I guess."

"You don't sound very excited," Lorelai comments. "Don't you want to go?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Hmm, you know I went to camp every summer from the time I was 6 until I was 14. I have probably been to most of the camps in the area. Which one are you going to?" Lorelai asks.

"Oh it's not here, it's in California."

Surprised, Luke repeats, "California?"

"Uh-huh, at Stanford."

"University?" Lorelai asks incredulously.

"Yes."

Lorelai looks at April and exclaims, "You're going to a camp at Stanford University? Wow, that's way cooler than camp Shennecossett!"

Aprils questions her, "Shennecossett?"

"It was my favorite camp that my parents sent me to. It was fun because it had horses. Unfortunately I wasn't there very long."

April and Luke both ask, "Why?"

"I was asked to leave."

Luke smirks at her as he asks, "You got kicked out of a kid's camp? What'd you do?"

Lorelai bats her eyes innocently as she explains, "Oh, the normal stuff. Short sheeting beds, stealing underwear, sneaking out after hours and of course my pièce de résistance was when I set the horses stampeding through the counselor's tents."

Confounded, Luke inquires, "Why on earth would you stampede the horses?"

"It was an accident. Jennifer Masurs and I were in the stables attempting to create the perfect smoke bomb. It sort of denoted too soon and freaked out the horses. The camp counselors were not impressed with our ingenuity so they sent us home."

April giggles as Luke advises her, "Do not let her be your role model for camp behavior."

April explains, "The camp I'm going to isn't like that, it's a science camp, the Sally Ride Science Camp. The July 9 session is at Stanford University."

Lorelai exclaims, "Wow, Sally Ride the first American woman astronaut in space? She has her own camp? That sounds very cool!"

"Yeah."

They had arrived in Stars Hollow and Luke is pulling the truck next to the curb. "You don't sound excited about going." he remarks to April as they are getting out.

"Hmm, it's okay I guess."

As the three of them enter the diner, Luke automatically heads behind the counter and April makes a beeline for a seat at the counter. Lorelai lags behind and sort of stands in the middle of the diner. Suddenly she feels out of place like a third wheel.

April asks Luke, "Can I have a piece of blueberry pie?"

Luke cuts a small piece of pie, pours a glass of milk, and hands them both to April. It's then that he notices Lorelai still standing in the middle of the floor looking extremely hesitant and awkward. Confused by her posture, he starts to ask her what's wrong but before he can get the words out, Lorelai nervously speaks.

"I need to get back to the Dragonfly. Uh, April, it's great to see you again." With that, Lorelai turns toward the door.

Luke scoots quickly around the counter and catches her before she can actually open the door. "What's wrong? Where're you going?" he asks softly.

Lorelai is looking down at her shoes as she answers Luke, "I told you, I need to get back to work. I've already taken so much time off. Michel will have a fit if I don't get back soon."

Luke tilts his head around as he tries to catch her eyes, "First of all, I believe Michel works for you, not the other way around. And secondly, I don't want you to leave." His voice switches to that lower timbre that he uses only with her and whispers, "Lorelai, please stay for me." A winsome smile breaks across his face, "I'll give you pie, you know you always want pie."

A sheepish smile spreads across her face as she responds, "I guess that I have time for a piece of pie."

Luke puts his arm behind her to lead her back to the counter. He cuts a big piece of pie and sets it with a glass of milk in front of her.

Lorelai stares momentarily at the milk then looks incredulously at Luke. His face is deadpan but there's a twinkle in his eye.

Capitulating to the inevitable, Lorelai takes a big gulp of milk before digging into the pie.

Luke turns to face April so to hide his victorious smile from Lorelai. "So tell me about this camp?"

"It is kind of cool. You get to select a major project to work on with a team. I can choose between astronomy, marine science, or robotics. I really like astronomy but I am leaning towards robotics. Robots are the wave of the future, you know."

"Oh I know." responds Luke seriously but with an amused twinkle in his eyes. April had talked about robotics many times.

Lorelai remarks, "So this camp of yours is more like a summer school than the camps I was sent to."

April thought about it for a second and then said, "Yeah, sort of but more fun than school. I mean there's no English or PE and it's all girls. Though I guess school can be all girls, too. I mean, there's this school that I kind of wanted to go to for awhile and it's all girls."

Luke's interest was suddenly piqued, "You want to go to a private school?"

"Nah, not really. I think I was just kind of excited that this school wanted me. I mean they are like really known for their program in science and math, but it's clear out in California. No way am I going to a boarding school and my mom wasn't going to move. Besides, this school is really intense, I mean, they have classes almost year round! Yuck, they break it up into these trimesters that last like 90 days. I would hate it. It's more like a job than a school. Plus, it's not a good place to build your social interaction skills."

Lorelai looks at April, "So it's an all girl's school, right?"

"Yeah." April replies shyly.

Luke stands up straighter and speaks, "You know April, if you wanted to go to a private school, your mom and I could talk about it. Rory, Lorelai's daughter, went to Chilton in Hartford."

Lorelai adds, "Rory only went to Chilton her last three years but she loved it. Before that, she went to public school."

"Didn't she miss her friends?" April asks Lorelai, clearly interested.

"No, not really. Of course she made some new friends at Chilton but her best friend is still Lane. You know Lane, right? Well, Rory and Lane have been best friends since kindergarten. Going to Chilton didn't have any affect on their friendship."

"In fact, it didn't really have much impact on her social life at all. Rory continued to be more involved with the people here in Stars Hollow than with the Chilton kids. Even all of the boys she dated during high school lived here. She didn't date anyone that went to Chilton."

"It's kind of funny but she met her first boyfriend, Dean, just before she started Chilton. Meeting him made her temporarily reconsider going to Chilton which was stupid." Lorelai turns to look directly at April, "Never let a relationship with a guy keep you taking advantage of an opportunity. There are always guys but opportunities are fleeting."

April thought for moment about what Lorelai had just told her before she asks, "How long did Rory go out with this Dean?"

"Oh, they were together about two years. Then she started dating Jess. You know your cousin Jess, right?"

"Rory and Jess are dating?" April asks.

Luke answers, "No that was over a long time ago, now Rory and Jess are just friends."

April is confused, "I didn't know that Jess lived here in Stars Hollow, I thought he's from New York?"

Lorelai smiles, "He lived with Luke for a couple of years."

April processes this new information. Jess lived with her dad. Obviously Jess was a teenager when this happened. That's why her dad and Jess are so friendly.

* * *

Rory had wanted to accompany her mom and Luke to the doctor's appointment today but her crazy schedule at the Stamford Eagle Gazette wouldn't allow it. Basically the paper has just been using her to fill in on the copy desk or as a paginator. One time she got to work with the pox team that covers the police and courts which induced a major flash back to her own experience with the penal system but the paper hasn't given her a chance to write anything. The staff at the SEG doesn't seem overly impressed that she is the editor and former features writer at the Yale Daily News. To them, she's just a newbie that needs to earn her stripes. 

Of course, this is only her fifth day back at work.

It is just that she already knows how to give a story its final edit and write the headlines and captions. She has been designing and placing stories and art elements on a page using the computer since her days at the Franklin. Pulling wire stories filed by the AP or Reuters isn't her dream job. She wants to write.

She has already submitted five ideas for stories to her boss, but so far, he has yet to acknowledge any of them. This has not discouraged Rory; she intends to keep plugging away. Her goal is to get at least one article printed in the SEG with her byline before September when school resumes.

* * *

April is busy in the corner filling the salt and pepper shakers when Lorelai suddenly remembers the papers that Anna left. Reaching for them in her purse, she quietly reminds Luke that he needs to sign them. 

As he reads over the first paper, Luke comments, "I thought Anna said it needed to be notarized. This is just the contact information for the camp. Heck, Anna could have filled this out, she has all my numbers."

Lorelai unfolds the second sheet as Luke is busy filling out the first. She reads it:

"_I, Lucas Danes, give my permission for Anna Nardini to take our daughter, April Nardini to California."_

Lorelai's face takes on an indignant countenance as she passes the paper to Luke and coldly tells him, "Here, this is what you're looking for!" In an apparent snit, she picks up her purse and tells April goodbye before she marches out of the diner.

Totally confused by Lorelai's sudden change of temperament, Luke grabs the papers and quickly follows. As he's leaving, he speaks loudly to attract April's attention. "April stay here with Caesar. I have to run down the street to Mail Boxes, Etc. I'll be back in 10 minutes." Luke scurries out the door and catches up with Lorelai just as she is getting into her Jeep.

Blocking the Jeep door so that she can't close it, Luke demands, "Okay, what the hell just happened in there?" For some unknown reason, Lorelai is furious at him and he's not letting her leave until she explains.

Breathing deeply, Lorelai stares straight ahead as she thinks. She doesn't want to get into this now, she just wants to leave. Putting the key in the ignition, Lorelai attempts to drive off but Luke is too quick for her.

He grabs the keys out of the ignition and yells, "Damn it Lorelai, quit pulling this passive-aggressive crap and tell me what's got you so pissed. Apparently I'm stupid because I haven't got a clue."

She turns to face him and points to the second paper he's holding. "That, that's the problem!"

"What?" Luke hadn't even had a chance to see what's on it. Quickly unfolding it, he reads out loud, "I, Lucas Danes, give my permission for Anna Nardini to take our daughter, April Nardini to California." Still unenlightened, Luke gives Lorelai a bewildered look.

Frustrated at his apparent lack of understanding, Lorelai asks, "Do you make Anna ask your permission every time she wants to take April out of town?"

"What? I dunno, what do you mean?"

Angry, Lorelai continues to point to the paper. "This is a permission slip. It's like she has to get permission from you just to take her own daughter to camp; like you're suddenly you're in charge of her of life."

Luke confused, is still looking at the paper still in his hands. "Lorelai, I don't know. This is just a paper Anna asked me to sign. I didn't write it."

"Well don't think you're going to pull that crap on me!"

"What?"

"If I want to take our unborn possible twins to New York to see the Bangles or go shopping, I do not need your approval, do you hear me?"

"Okay."

"Don't think you can get your sleazy lawyer to pull that on me. I'll get my own sleazy lawyer and fight you."

"Whoa, first of all, are you planning to keep my kids from me?"

"Of course not."

"Do you plan to take my kids out of town without telling me?"

"No."

"Then why will I need a sleazy lawyer?"

Lorelai doesn't have an answer but she's still pissed at him, so she just stares out the window.

"Look Lorelai, I never wanted to get lawyers involved in this, all I wanted was to know my kid but Anna, well, she made it hard. She kept threatening to keep me away from April every time something didn't go exactly like she wanted. It was driving me crazy; you saw what it did to us? Okay, that's not fair, _I_ was the problem with us but Anna's pressure didn't help. I simply went to a lawyer just to get things settled."

Lorelai is now looking at Luke and he can see that her anger is lessening. He holds up the offending permission slip in front of her and continues, "I honestly don't remember the lawyers talking about needing anything like this. Sure, I know my lawyer issued some sort of temporary restraining order but I thought that was cancelled after the custody agreement was in place. I didn't like it then and I didn't intend it to be permanent. My lawyer insisted on it because he was afraid that Anna would take April out of the court's jurisdiction before the custody was settled."

"Actually, it turned out not to be such a bad idea. The first thing Anna did when I told her I was seeking joint custody was threaten to leave the state. Of course, it was probably just a bluff because she was angry. I mean, she's lived in this area all her life and she has her store and everything. She isn't going to just up and leave."

"You and I don't need lawyers." Luke looks her sincerely. "We're doing this parenting thing together, remember? If you want to take our twins to a concert in New York, I'll go with you, okay?"

Feeling a little ashamed of her reaction, Lorelai still isn't satisfied. "It's just that I sort of identify with Anna. If Chris had tried anything like that with Rory, I'd killed him. I don't like it."

"Okay, I agree." Luke takes out his phone and starts dialing. "Look let me call my sleazy lawyer and straighten this out."

"Yes, Luke Danes calling Martin Friedman. Sure, I'll hold." Luke waited a few minutes until his lawyer came on the line. He explained the situation and then was put on hold again while his lawyer checked the file.

Luke rolls his eyes as he tells Lorelai, "He put me on hold. He always puts me on hold. I think he does it on purpose just to run up the bill.

After about five minutes, the lawyer apparently returned because Luke commences with a monosyllabic conversation consisting of "Yes", "No", "No", "Yes", "Sure", "Yes", "No", "Yes", "Fine", "Fine", and "Thanks".

Luke hangs up, turns to Lorelai and tells her, "According to my lawyer, Anna misunderstood our agreement. The only time she would need a document like this would be if she was taking April and moving out of state. Otherwise, she just needs to let me know and provide me with an itinerary. So see, I'm not trying to control her."

Lorelai feels like an ass. Of course Luke wouldn't do something like that. She should have known that and it scares her that she thought he would. "Luke, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have freaked out like that. I don't know what got into me."

Knelling down next to the car, Luke grins as he leans over and rubs her belly, "I think I do." He gives her a quick kiss.

With an apologetic face, Lorelai looks at Luke and says, "Why do you put up with me?"

Fixing his face in a deadpan expression, Luke replies, "Well, somebody has to and I lost the draw."

She whaps him in the chest and is about to do it a second time, when he catches her hand and pulls her in for a longer kiss. With his lips still against her mouth, he whispers, "Crazy lady".

Pulling back, Luke asks, "When will you be home for dinner?"

"Sorry, I really have a ton of work to catch up on at the Inn, I'll just eat there."

Luke gives her a skeptical look but Lorelai swears, "I'll eat something healthy. Sookie will see to it. I promise I'll eat something green."

Luke responds, "Okay but remember lettuce essence doesn't count."

* * *

Rory just let off a big woo-hoo which caused heads to pop up from behind cubicles like prairie dogs on the plains. She quickly apologizes to everyone and returns to talking with Lorelai on the phone. 

"Mom, I can't believe it, twins! It is just like your dream. Maybe you're psychic? You are going to be so-o-o fat!"

"If I'm psychic then my powers are really off these days. At this point, my future looks pretty murky."

"Quit saying that Mom, you're future looks great! You've got everything, a great job, a man that loves you and now the baby, err, babies. It's everything that you dreamed about."

"Maybe, I guess so. It's just keeps feeling like I'm going to loose it all. That everything is just temporary and I am going to screw it all up, again."

"You are not screwing anything up."

"Oh, I don't know, look at my track record."

"Mom, I think your track record is pretty good. Remember when we first left Hartford? You said you were so scared that you were screwing things up for me but look, everything turned out fine. You didn't know what you were doing and probably made a ton of mistakes but it all worked out."

"Look, I told you that I really was going for the punk look with that first haircut I gave you. It wasn't a mistake."

"Mom, everything is going to work out. Just have a little faith."

"I have faith; it just seems that history is working against it."

Hesitantly, Rory switches subjects," So Mom, Grandma and Grandpa are getting back today, are you going to call them?"

"I'm sure they are all jetlagged and don't feel like talking."

"Mom!"

"What? I said that I will go to Friday night dinner."

"Mom, you need to talk with them. You have to tell them about the pregnancy."

"Not yet, babe. You know the experts always say not to tell anyone until after the first trimester."

"They are talking about friends and acquaintances, not family. You should bring Luke to dinner with you and tell them together."

"Rory remember I'm trying to keep Luke around, not run him off."

"Luke will want to go with you and tell them. He knows Grandma and Grandpa and he can handle them."

"Oh, I can see it now, 'Mom, Dad, guess what? I'm pregnant again and this time I went for the bonus pack, twins! And no, Luke and I aren't getting married because the past six months proves he doesn't really want me in his life.' Then poor Luke will get pummeled."

"Mom, first of all, I think Luke could take Grandpa in a fight. Secondly, you're not getting married because you are being stupid and paranoid. Luke has done everything to prove he wants you and needs you but you refuse to see it."

"He hid his daughter from me and he didn't want me to be involved with her. That says a lot."

"It says he was stupid. Mom, you've always forgiven Dad for all of his screw ups and they were much more numerous and severe. Why can't you forgive Luke?"

"Because I know Chris and I know what to expect from him. Before I thought I knew Luke and I wouldn't have ever imagined that he would push me out of his life like he did. I don't know him anymore."

"Mom!"

"Hon, I've got to go. Michel is screaming at someone at the front desk. Love you!"

Rory yells for her mom again but the line goes dead. Frustrated, she goes back to work.

* * *

Anna walks into the diner a few minutes before 7:30 but doesn't see Luke or April. She is about to ask, when Luke comes down the stairs. 

"Hey." he greets her.

"Hey yourself. Where's April?"

"Oh, she's upstairs on the phone. She wanted to call some friend of hers before it got too late. Something about making plans for a movie or something tomorrow. I'm sure you'll hear all about it."

He leads her upstairs where April is lounging on the sofa with the phone at her ear. "Oh, my mom's here now, I got to go. See ya!"

"Hey Mom!"

"Hey kid! Get your stuff together and we'll leave."

April runs downstairs and leaves Anna and Luke alone.

"Oh hey, here's the paper you need." Luke hands here the contact form for the camp.

"Luke, I think you forgot one of the forms."

"Oh yeah, look I wanted to talk to you about that. You don't need a permission slip from me to take April. I never intended you to think that. I double checked with my attorney and it's not necessary."

"That's okay Luke. I don't mind. Just give me the paper and we're good."

"I threw it away."

Luke is baffled when Anna starts rifling through his waste basket. "What are you looking for?"

Anna replies brusquely, "What, you threw it away? I need that."

"Anna, stop. It's not there. I threw it out down in the diner. It probably has garbage all over it."

Anna is clearly getting agitated. "Okay, okay, so do you have a computer or maybe a typewriter? Who am I talking to, no of course not, you wouldn't. I know, we can go to the local Kinko's and type a new one up. They can notarize it then."

"Anna, calm down. I told you that you don't need any permission slip just to send April to camp. Anyway, this is Stars Hollow; we don't have a Kinko's."

"No, you don't understand. I do need it. You have to sign that permission form before I take her to California. I can't take her without it; I won't take her without it."

April who had returned upstairs heard what her mother said as she walks in the apartment. She turns toward Luke and asks, "If you don't sign this form, I don't have to go?"

Luke is confused by April's statement. "Don't you want to go?"

"No, Mom's making me."

Suspiciously he looks at Anna, "You're forcing her to go to this camp?"

Exasperated Anna responds, "For cripes sake Luke, you don't understand. She begged me for weeks to go and now that it's almost here, she's nervous. If you knew anything about teenagers you would know that's just how they are.

Now Luke questions April, "Is what your mother said true? Did you beg to go to this camp?"

"Yes, but you don't understand. That was months ago and I didn't get in it. Mom sent the application too late. I was upset for awhile but then it was okay. Now, all of a sudden last week, Mom says I have to go. An opening became available and she never even checked to see if I still wanted to go. I've already made all of these plans with my friends for the summer and going to camp ruins everything."

Luke takes a deep breath as he tries to make sense of this whole thing. After a few seconds, he decides what he needs to do. "April, go downstairs and wait for me to call you. Your mother and I need to talk alone."

April hesitates because she knows they're going to talk about her and she wants to be here.

Luke, knowing that this is not a conversation that he wants April to hear, uses his commanding tone, "April now!"

Though April hasn't known Luke that long, she does recognize the tone he used. It's his "no arguments" tone and he means it. Disgruntled but obedient she heads downstairs.

When he is sure April is gone, he turns to Anna. "You want some tea or something?"

"No, I'm good."

"Now explain this to me. Is what April said true? Did you just enroll her in that camp last week?"

"Yes, but she really wants to go. She's just being contrary."

"Don't you think you should have talked with her before you enrolled her?"

"I didn't think it was necessary. Maybe I should have but she'll get over it."

"I still think you should have talked with her and I know you should have talked to me first."

"What?" Anna responds rashly, then recovers her composure and continues. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot. I'm just getting used to this new arrangement."

"Well you better get used to it because nothing like this is happening again. Now I don't know what were going to do."

"You're going to sign another permission form and April is going to camp."

"No, I'm not. At least not until I've spoken with April and heard her side."

Frustrated, Anna tries to cajole him. "Oh come on Luke, she doesn't want to go because she has a crush on a boy. She's afraid he'll forget her."

"This is over a boy? It's not that Freddie is it? Because she's too young to be serious about a boy, hell I think she too young to think about boys but I guess I can't stop that. Even if it is over a boy, I want to talk with her first. She shouldn't give up something that she would enjoy over a boy."

"Luke, all of this is unnecessary. April is going to camp, that's all."

"Come on Anna, relax. I'm just going to talk to her."

Anna is starting to come unglued. This is all going wrong and she can't handle it. She begins to pace in front of Luke, trying desperately to find a way out of this mess. "You don't understand she has to go."

"No she doesn't. What the hell is so important about this camp anyway?"

"I've already sent in the money."

"I'll help cover the money. If necessary, I pay for the damn thing."

"She has to go to this camp."

"Why Anna, what's so important about this stupid camp? It's not like it's a school or something. It's just a girl summer camp."

"You don't understand. She has to go to California. She has to go to that interview."

Luke snaps to attention. "What interview?"

"Shit!" thinks Anna. Inhaling deeply before she begins, "I misspoke, I meant camp."

The more he and Anna talk about this, the more suspicious Luke is becoming that he doesn't have the whole story. Anna is definitely acting strange, almost guilty, but guilty of what?

"Look Anna, I know I'm new to parenting, but you seem to be blowing this whole camp thing way out of context. It isn't that important."

"You're right Luke, you are new to parenting. Therefore you should defer to my expertise. I know what's right for my daughter."

Now Anna is just pissing him off. "First of all, she not just your daughter, she's our daughter. And if I'm new to parenting, well that's your fault. You chose not to tell me about April. Besides that, I don't believe you have all that much experience with 13 year olds either. Whether you like it or not, I am April's father and I am a part of her life. She will go to this fucking camp only if both of us, you and _I_ agree; is that clear?"

Anna is getting really mad. Luke is messing up everything. "No, that's not clear. April has to go to this camp. No discussion."

"There will be a discussion and you will just have to learn to deal with."

"No, she's going, that's final."

"What is it that is so important about April going to this stupid camp? What are you trying to pull, Anna?"

"Nothing, I'm just trying to send April to a camp she will enjoy!"

"Bull! You come clean with me or no camp, no way

Now Anna has reached her limit and she's truly angry. The time has come to play her last card. She decides to tell about the school and see if she can play on his desire for the best for April. "Damn it Luke, she has to go to California. She has a chance to be accepted at this really prestigious school and the interview is in California. If she doesn't go she can't get it. This is her big opportunity. Graduating from this school will almost guarantee that she can get into any university that she wants. You would deprive her of that chance?"

"Are you talking about that all girls boarding school in California?"

"What do you know about it?"

"April mentioned it and she doesn't want to go there. Besides, I'm not letting you send our daughter out of state to school. She's too young. If you want to talk about sending her to a private school, well, we can do that."

"Luke, don't kid yourself that you're a good father. You're just being selfish. This school is a wonderful opportunity that will help her get into the best college. You want to stand in her way?"

Everything is suddenly clear to Luke. He shakes his head as he speaks, 'You know Anna, I can be a little naive sometimes but I'm not a fool. This has nothing to do with April going to the best school. You're just trying to get April away from me, aren't you? Well, it's not going to happen."

Luke is on a roll now, "It all makes sense now. You never wanted me to know about April because you just wanted to keep her all to yourself. It was never about me being a good enough to be her father, it was all about you. You are a selfish bitch, do you know that?"

"It's fucking unbelievable! When I think of all of the hours that I spent beating myself up because you didn't think I could be a good father. I did everything trying to prove that I was trustworthy to you but I never had a chance, did I? I could have been Robert Young from **_Father Knows Best_** or Ward Cleaver from **_Leave It To Beaver_** and I still wouldn't have impressed you."

"It was all about you and what you wanted. You never did consider April did you? Man, you are a piece of work. Did you really think you could get away with this? What were you planning; to sell you business and move to California with her? Didn't it ever occur to you that April wouldn't stand for this? My God, she did her own DNA test to find me. Did you really believe she wouldn't call me and tell me where she was?"

"Oh yeah, now I get it. You were trying to trick me into signing that stupid permission slip weren't you. You thought that would be enough to keep me from bringing her back? That slip wouldn't have been worth the paper it was printed on. Trust me it requires a lot more than a single line on one sheet of paper to allow you to move my daughter from Connecticut."

"Here's what's going to happen. I am going to have a talk with April. I wouldn't say anything about your little scheme, not yet at least. There's no reason to upset her. If after our talk she still doesn't want to go to camp, she won't."

"If she does go to camp, she will be returning to Connecticut even if I have to fly out there and pick her up. Is that clear?"

"Whatever little plans you have set in motion, you better hope that you can undo them. April will not be leaving this area until she's ready for college, do you understand? If I have to, I'll move her in with me. I wouldn't have any problem getting residential custody after telling the court about this trick."

Anna is so mad that she can hardly speak, "They will never let her live here in this tiny apartment with you!"

"But this isn't where I live. Didn't I tell you, Lorelai and I have a house? If our house isn't big enough, I'll buy a bigger one. Don't worry, April will have her own room."

"Remember this, if you ever try anything like this again, April and I will have a more detailed discussion about your scheme. I will share with her the whole plot and I can be very convincing. If need be, I'm sure that school in California can corroborate the story, no doubt they keep records of such things."

"As long as you behave and abide by the rules, April need never know what you tried to do."

"Now, you go downstairs and wait while I talk with April."

(tbc)


	19. Chapter 19 Closer Yet

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

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* * *

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**Chapter 19 – Closer Yet**

It's Thursday morning and Luke once again finds himself in the OB/GYN waiting room surrounded by estrogen. He figures that Tuesdays must be reserved for pregnancy examinations since none of the ladies he has seen so far today exhibit any signs of expecting. Of course, neither does Lorelai, no matter what she thinks.

This morning he had found her performing some sort of aerobic dance in an attempt to zip up her jeans. She was grousing because apparently she had grown fat overnight and now couldn't fit into her clothes.

He tried to diplomatically point out that first of all she is trying to get into her tightest jeans (his personal favorite). Secondly it is just possible that she had not gotten fat but the problem stemmed from the six glasses of water that she had consumed for the Ultrasound test this morning. He had suggested that she try a different pair of jeans since she only has about thirty pairs to choose from.

His remarks were not well received.

Lorelai told him that she is going to wear these jeans and if he cared anything about her at all, he would be helping to zip them up instead of making inane fashion comments.

He tries to explain that he is happy to help but that doesn't really solve her problem since he isn't going to be following her around all day. There is just the slightest possibility that she will have to use the bathroom sometime. Who is going to zip up her jeans then?

Her reply came in the form of a growl.

He should have known better than to try logic with her. Lorelai under normal conditions is not a morning person and this morning she is especially cranky.

With no other option, he had her lay on the bed while he pulls at the zipper. It is then he sees the real obstacle, a stray thread is trapped in the zipper teeth. Using brut force he is finally able to dislodge the thread and zips her up.

Lorelai sits up and groans. The jeans are causing pressure on her already full bladder. In an attempt to stretch the fabric, she begins to perform some weird callisthenic movements. Luke finds it all pretty funny but refrains from actually laughing since he is enjoying the show.

Finally, the fabric has stretched sufficiently and she is now observing her stomach profile in the mirror. She declares that it is definitely beginning to protrude. To Luke her stomach looks just as flat as always but he is not going to dispute her opinion.

Actually, the only physical change he had been able to detect is with her boobs. They are slightly fuller and definitely more sensitive. Her belly is still flat and her waist is still slim. He knows all this because he initiated a new nightly ritual.

Ever since last Tuesday at their last doctor's appointment when Sarah talked about sex, he had been doing a lot of thinking. This is tricky territory. If he backs off and doesn't initiate any intimacy then Lorelai might begin to believe he isn't attracted to her anymore but if he is too passionate in his attentions, she might feel obligated to have sex even if she's isn't in the mood. Sure he could talk to her about it but verbal communication is not his forte. No, he's better with actions.

After pondering the situation for a while he thinks he's hit on the perfect solution. He tried it Tuesday night when she finally got home. It was close to ten o'clock and he was about to head out to the Inn and drag her home when her Jeep pulls into the driveway.

He was planning to yell at her for working so late until he actually saw her. She looked exhausted. Her eyes were red and he could see dark circles forming. He knew her eyes must really be bothering her since she had already taken out her contacts and is wearing her glasses.

Normally, when she came home this tired and stressed, he would run a bath for her and sometimes even join her in it. Luke had always thought of baths as kind of creepy. The idea of sitting in your own dirt in a tub of water never appealed to him. He's a shower guy, but Lorelai had introduced him to the sensual pleasures of a warm bath and he had changed his opinion.

But now Lorelai can't take any baths. Pregnant women can't sit in hot water. Something about it raising their body temperature and possibly harming the fetus. Just to be on the safe side there can be no calming baths for Lorelai for a while.

Instead he offers to give her a massage. First, using her favorite body lotion, he spreads the cream over the front of her body, being especially gentle over her breast but making sure to liberally apply the moisturizer to her abdomen. At one point he kisses her belly and says, "Hopefully, this will help prevent stretch marks."

Then he turns her over and moisturizes her back. When he finishes he gives her a relaxing massage and encouraged her to close her eyes. She falls asleep before he's done, looking much more peaceful and relax.

He's decided to do this every night before bed. He figures either way he wins. He loves touching her even when it doesn't lead to sex but if the massage puts her in the mood, even better.

Besides, he likes pampering her. So much so that he went out yesterday and bought some super supreme shea-butter, deep conditioning, body butter that's suppose to have a super dose of antioxidant complex for the skin.

He doesn't know what the hell most of that is but it sounds good and Kirk had recommended it. Normally Luke would never accept Kirk's recommendation for anything but this time he really sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Plus Kirk had been working in that store for several years so he had to have learned something and since Luke knows nothing what did he have to loose?

The body butter had been a hit last night. Lorelai had made every indication that she wanted to take things future than just a massage. Unfortunately, since they had the doctor's appointment this morning, some activities were off limits but not everything. They know many ways to satisfy each other and they may have discovered a few more last night. In fact Luke found the restriction to be sort exciting, kind of a test of their creativity. Based on Lorelai reactions, he felt confident that he had met the challenge and he knew that she had.

The previous night's love making seem to have stimulated Lorelai's libido and she woke up frisky again this morning. Luke had unfortunately let her sleep late thinking that she needed the rest. This decision had left no time for play thus resulting in Lorelai's bad mood. Luke knew from past experience that a sexually frustrated Lorelai is cranky.

As they waited in the doctor's office, it is apparent to Luke that Lorelai is uncomfortable. The pre-Ultrasound instructions that they were given said that Lorelai needed to consume 4 to 6 glasses of water so she would have a full bladder. Evidently, a full bladder is necessary to get a good picture.

"Gads, how long can they keep us waiting?" exclaimed Lorelai in frustration.

"Relax it is only 10:01."

"You try to relax when your bladder's about to burst. You know, maybe if I just go pea a little bit, just to relieve the pressure?"

"No, if you go you won't be able to stop then your bladder will be empty. We'll have to reschedule and do this all over again. Just cross your legs and relax."

Just then, the nurse called for Lorelai. She gets up and drags Luke with her. He protests, saying, "Shouldn't I wait?"

"No! No time, we've got to get this show on the road."

Luke looks at the nurse, who smiles and tells him that it's alright.

Luke lets Lorelai lead him down the hall. He is keeping his eyes on the floor. This time he has no intention of seeing any other women running around with open examination gowns.

When they get into the examination room, Luke looks around at what he assumes is the Ultrasound machine. It looks like a regular PC setting on a cart which surprises him. He is not exactly sure what he expected but this isn't it.

Lorelai starts stripping off her clothes as soon as they got in the room. Removing her jeans offers some relief but she still really needs to pea. Unfortunately, while she is standing in her bra and panties, the air conditioner kicks on and a cold draft of air hits her. That really seems to make matters worse. Suddenly she is shifting around and sort of doing a jig trying not to pea in her pants.

Luke watches her with amusement. She reminds him of the little kids he has seen do what he calls the "pea pea" dance.

Lorelai finishes changing and gets up on the examination table. She shifts around trying to get comfortable but nothing works until she tries setting Indian style. It's not the most modest pose but it seems to help.

There's a knock at the door and the technician comes in to set up the machine. Lorelai is rocking back and forth impatiently until she finally asks, "How much longer because I really need to pea."

The technician turns to her surprised and says, "Doctor ordered a Transvaginal Scan. That doesn't require a full bladder. They must have given you the wrong instructions."

"Are you sure?" asks Lorelai.

"Positive."

Lorelai utters, "Excuse me" as she bolts out the door.

Luke smirks as he watches Lorelai sprint out the door.

The technician smiles and tells him, "That happens all the time."

A few minutes later, Lorelai reappears looking relieved. She gets back on the table and says, "Are we about ready?"

"Just waiting for the doctor. Do you want me to explain how this works?"

"Please." replies Lorelai.

The technician holds up a probe and says, "This is the transducer which will be inserted gently into your vagina, and then it will be moved and rotated to adjust the view displayed on the monitor. A transvaginal ultrasound takes about 15 to 30 minutes. There is normally no discomfort involved though you may feel a light pressure when the transducer is moved."

Luke grimaces at the explanation. This is really more information than he wanted to know.

Lorelai asks, "Why am I having this instead of the regular test?"

The technician responds, "I wouldn't know. You have to ask the doctor. I just do what I'm told."

Just then, Sarah knocks and comes in. "Hi Lorelai. How are you doing?"

"Good."

Sarah acknowledges Luke, "Hi Luke. How's daddy?"

"Fine."

She turns to the technician and asks, "Deanna, have you explained the procedure to Lorelai yet?"

"Yes."

She turns back to Lorelai. "Okay, any questions?"

"Yeah, why am I getting this instead of the regular ultrasound?"

"The normal ultrasound isn't very accurate in the early stages of pregnancy. Because of that, we don't normally perform an ultrasound until around the 10th to 12th week. But when we suspect multiples, we like to have an earlier picture. This method is much more accurate."

Luke thinks, "And probably a hell of a lot more expensive." but he doesn't say anything.

As though Sarah could read his mind, she adds, "Don't worry, it's cover by your medical plan."

Lorelai lies down and Deanna, the technician, inserts the probe. Luke gets up and stands next to Lorelai's head and looks with her at the monitor. He can't see anything.

Sarah tells Luke, "Luke, you might as well sit down. It will take about 15 minutes or more before the computer can put together a full picture."

Then she turns to Lorelai. "I'm going to leave you with Deanna. I'll be back in 15 or 20 minutes; then we'll look at what you've got inside there. Just try to relax."

* * *

Rory woke at little after 10:30 with a post-it on her forehead. She had meant to get up earlier and go with her mom and Luke to the doctor, but according to the note they left without her. She had worked a double yesterday, sixteen hours straight. Her workday had stared at 8:00 AM and didn't end until after midnight. She should feel exhausted but she doesn't. 

It's not like she loves what she doing at the paper because she doesn't. She is the low man on the totem pole and is expected to perform all the most medial and mundane tasks. What she loves is the atmosphere at the paper and the hint of possibilities that await her.

No one has ever accused Rory of being dumb. She understands that she has to pay her dues just like everyone else if she expects to earn their respect. She refuses to use her connections to Logan and the Huntzbergers. She wants to be respected as Rory Gilmore not Logan Huntzberger's girlfriend.

As Rory makes coffee, she reflects on her life. Being an adult sucks. If she could, she would clone herself in to three so that she could do everything that she wants. The first Rory would still be working her butt off at the SEG and Yale to become the next Christiane Amanpour, the second would stay here in Stars Hollow and hang with her mom and the third would catch the next flight to London to be with Logon. But that's not an option.

It has just been one week since she and her mom returned to Stars Hollow. That month they had spent in the mountains had been like old times. They were together constantly. As much as she loved it, that time had made Rory realize that things will never be like that again. She wants a different life for herself.

She wants more than just being the daughter of Lorelai Gilmore from Stars Hollow. She wants more than just being Logan Huntzberger's girlfriend. She wants to be Rory Gilmore, accomplished and respected on her own.

* * *

Sarah had come back into the examination room. The scan is now complete and she is analyzing the results on a screen with both Lorelai and Luke looking over her shoulder. 

"Well," Sarah explains as she points to a form on the screen, "we have Baby A."

Luke tries to focus on the object she is pointing to but it looks kind of like a peanut with a tail to him.

"And, here's Baby B right over there. I don't see anymore so I believe we just have two."

Both Luke's and Lorelai's faces blanched at the hint that Sarah had been looking for more than two.

"Sarah, you thought there might be more?" asks Lorelai astonished.

"Well, your HCG levels are at the top of the range and you're borderline anemic. Those indicators along with the possible second heart beat told me that we probably had at least two but a chance there are more. Don't worry, it looks it we just have two. Relax you two twins are pretty common especially at your age. The chance of multiple births for a woman over 35 is 30 greater. Maybe it is Mother Nature's way of catching up for delaying pregnancy? "

Sarah asked Deanna the technician, "Did you get the CRL?"

"Yes, both of them are 10.7 cm."

"Okay, so based on the crown-to-rump length, I estimate that your babies are 7 weeks and 2 days old."

Shocked Luke responds, "Wow, you can calculate it that precisely?"

"Well, I may be off by 3 or 4 days but yeah we've gotten pretty good at that now. After the next Ultrasound which will be around the 20th week, we can be more accurate."  
Turning to Lorelai, "So that means your 9 weeks pregnant, almost through your first trimester."

Confused, Luke exclaims, "Huh?"

Sarah explains, "Most of the time when people talk about a pregnancy they talk in terms that we refer to as the gestational age. That's based on the LMP or last menstrual period. Conception usually takes place about two week after the LMP so the fetal age or the actual age of the growing babies is two week later. Since your twins are 7.2 weeks old, Lorelai is 9 weeks pregnant."

Luke wishes he had remembered to bring his pen again. He really wants to write all of this down.

As Lorelai is redressing, Luke can't help but try to remember what was happening 7 weeks and 2 days ago. That was the day he had returned from his trip with April. That night Lorelai and he had shared a memorable welcome home celebration.

Apparently it was more memorable than either of them knew.

* * *

Rory is reading the paper as she drinks her coffee. There's a knock at the back door and Sookie walks in. 

"Hey sweetie, how ya doin'?"

"Morning Sookie. Mom and Luke aren't back yet if that's who you're looking for."

"No, I'm not looking for them. I mean I want to see them if they're here but since they're not then, no, I don't. See, I was kind of hoping that they wouldn't be back yet because I'm looking for you."

"Sure Sookie, you found me. What can I do for you?"

Sookie sits down and notices the Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake that Luke left for Rory and cuts a piece. She takes a bite and says, "Does he put buttermilk in this? Because I think I taste buttermilk. I use sour cream but buttermilk would be good too."

Rory shakes her head, "I don't know Sookie. All I know is it's good. I'm sure you can ask him and he'll tell you."

Sookie sighs as she responds, "No, he refuses to give me any of his recipes. He still won't tell me what he puts in his lamb chops."

"Sookie, you wanted to talk to me?" Rory asks, trying to bring Sookie back to focus.

"Well, yeah, I kind of want to talk about your mom and Luke."

"Uh-huh."

Sookie takes another bite of the cake and continues, "It's like this. I think they need to go ahead and just get married. This whole thing with the engagement not an engagement but a promise is just weird. Let's face it, they need to just suck it up and take the plunge."

"Sookie look, I want Mom and Luke together just as much as anyone but they need time."

"That's just it. They don't have time."

"Sookie, I know with the baby or babies coming, it would be nice if they got married first, but a lot a people wait until the baby is born before they have their ceremony. Look at Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes."

"We all know that Mom and Luke belong together and I think they will be. Luke has moved in and they seem to be doing really good. Mom has spent a lot of time with April and that's working out, so yeah, I think everything is going to be fine. It's just going to take some time."

Sookie looks at Rory and states, "That's just the problem, sweetie, I don't think they have much more time."

Confused, Rory asks, "What? Why?"

"Well, it's the town. They are kind of setting a time limit."

"Our town, Stars Hollow? What do you mean a time limit?"

"See the town had a meeting about your mom and Luke. They were all upset about this last breakup. It's just that they really care about them and they feel sort of invested in their romance. The town just wants them to be happy so they're going to throw them a wedding."

Astonished by Sookie's last statement, Rory doesn't know what to say. She just sits there for a moment before collecting her thoughts to ask, "Did you say they are throwing them a wedding? You mean a wedding shower right, because throwing a wedding would be crazy"

"Yep, it is but they want to throw them a wedding not a wedding shower."

"A wedding. How? When? Why?"

Sookie explains, "See originally they had this plan to get your mom and Luke drunk at the town's Independence Day celebration and then have the wedding, but I talked them out of that. I mean with your mom being pregnant she can't drink alcohol but of course I didn't tell them that. Plus Luke's not a big drinker. I know he got a little tipsy when they went to that party in New York and of course, after your mom left him he was plastered for a couple of days but I don't think they could get him to drink that much normally."

Still trying to take it all in, Rory responds, "The town was planning to get Mom and Luke drunk at the Independence Day festival and then have them get married?"

"Yep."

"That's insane!"

"Maybe not."

"Sookie, Mom and Luke wouldn't get that drunk."

"Yeah, I know that part was a crazy idea, but..."

"Sookie?"

"Honey, just listen to me because I've been thinking about this a lot. Luke wants to get married and I think your mother does too. She's just not thinking clearly." Sookie gets up and starts to pace. She is clearly struggling to find the right words. "See, your mom is really sentimental. I kind of think if we got her to look back at everything, both the good and bad times, so she could remember just how important Luke is to her and all the stuff he did do right, then maybe she can forgive him for that one misstep"

"You know nobody's prefect but for a long time, Luke seemed perfect to Lorelai. I think that's what made Luke's treatment of her after he found out about April so hard for her. Suddenly he wasn't perfect and she didn't know how to handle it."

Rory shook her head, "No Sookie, I think it's more that. Mom feels that Luke doesn't really trust her. He hid April from her and I think that's still the stumbling block."

Sookie stared at Rory and said, "But that's stupid. She's got to know that's not true. I mean she's spent a lot of time with April now. He's proved that he trusts her."

"I know it and you know it but Mom doesn't. It's just going to take Mom longer that a week to get over everything that's happened in the last few months. Luke's doing everything he can but his actions hurt Mom bad. That kind of hurt takes a while to heal."

"Well, the town and especially Taylor are not going to wait for long. We have to find a way to get Lorelai and Luke to at least set a wedding date or I'm afraid that something ugly will happen. I can just see Taylor forming a mob to storm the house and dragging Lorelai and Luke to the altar."

"What are we going to do, Sookie? We can't let the town interfere. It'll make everything worse. Luke will get mad and Mom will freak."

"I'll stall the town as long as I can and you work on your Mom. Let's just hope for the best."

* * *

Lorelai knows that she is simply delaying the inevitable but she just can't make herself finish dressing. Rory and Luke had ganged up on her this morning and she finally agreed to let Luke accompany her to Friday night dinner tonight. Well, it wasn't so much that she agreed it was more that she couldn't fight both of them anymore. 

That means there will be no chance to dodge the bullet tonight. She will have to tell Emily and Richard that's she pregnant. If she doesn't, either Luke or Rory or both will share the news.

Every time she thinks about it, she flashes back twenty-two years and she's sixteen again. How many times had she vowed to herself that she would never let that happen again? Twenty-two years later and she is exactly in the same place. Way to go Gilmore!

Lorelai flinches as she suddenly feels Luke's arms wrap around her. He whispers in he ear, "Do you really want to see your parents dressed only in your slip?"

She realizes that she has been standing in the middle of the bedroom just staring at the wall for the last five minutes. She needs to suck it up and just get dressed.

Suddenly her stomach starts sending her messages again. She scrambles for the bathroom and begins throwing up. This is the second time tonight that she has gotten sick. Tomato juice isn't helping that much right now. That's probably because her sickness tonight has more to do with terror than the pregnancy.

* * *

Luke is feeling just about every negative emotion possible. He's running the gambit from guilt through remorse to anguish and finally fear. Lorelai is a mess and it's his fault. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in his own little pity party about April, he and Lorelai would have been married on June 3rd and tonight would just be another evening at the in-laws. But it isn't. 

Tonight is the night that Emily and Richard will pull out their arsenal of cutting barbs. Many will be directed at him and he's ready for them. He feels that he is prepared for any cutting remarks they may direct at him but he's worried how he'll react if they really attack Lorelai. Yelling at Emily or belting Richard will not help the situation.

He keeps telling himself that if things really turn ugly, that he will just drag Lorelai out of there and they will have to deal with the elder Gilmore's later. Hopefully he can get her away from them before their words can damage her already fragile sense of worth.

* * *

Rory is really not looking forward to tonight. She knows her grandma and grandpa well enough to anticipate their reactions to the news of the babies. Tonight is going to be ugly. She had given serious consideration to going to her grandparents and talking with them earlier today. Maybe if they understood what her mom is going through they would be supportive. 

But the more she thought about it the less appealing the idea became. Forewarning the Gilmores might just give them a chance to prepare to pounce on her mother even more. No a surprise attack is the best plan.

* * *

They took two vehicles because Rory told them that she might get called to work at the paper tonight but that's not the real reason. If her grandparents' reaction ends up forcing Luke and her mom to leave early, Rory wants to be able to stay and have a serious discussion with her grandparents. 

When Rory pulls up to the house, Luke is attempting to extricate Lorelai from his truck. She is gripping the steering wheel and refuses to let go.

With Rory's help, Luke finally drags Lorelai out and up to the front door. He is keeping a strong arm around her so she can't bolt. Rory rings the bell. Emily opens the door.

"Rory!"

"Grandma."

Sweeping her eyes over her daughter, Emily greets Lorelei with a little less enthusiasm but still a warm greeting. Then she turns to Luke and greats him cordially but with a cool undertone.

As they all come in Emily gets a good look at the trio. She is taken back by Lorelai's appearance. Her face is drawn and tired looking and she appears to have lost weigh.

Emily is aware of the some of the problems that Lorelai and Luke had been experiencing. She knew about the breakup and she knew about Lorelai's and Rory's month in the mountains. She just didn't expect the physical toll all of this apparently took on Lorelai.

Though Rory had not been forthcoming with a lot of details about the situation between Lorelai and Luke, Emily could read between the lines. She had witnessed first hand Lorelai's pain caused by the deterioration of her relationship with Luke. She sympathized with Lorelai's misery.

Emily had grasped the true extent of her daughter's anguish that evening at the real estate office. The pure devastation and suffering that she saw in Lorelai that night had wounded Emily's heart. Her daughter was hurting and she could do nothing to comfort her.

All Emily ever wanted for Lorelai is happiness. From the time Lorelai was born, Emily had fantasized about a wonderful close relationship with her daughter but it had never materialized. No matter how hard Emily tried, she could never get Lorelai interested in participating in the life Emily lead. Lorelai was born independent.

Emily remembers the first time she saw Luke. Her keen mother's perception had picked up on the electricity between them. Over the years, Luke was the only constant man in Lorelai's life.

Emily was not surprised when she found out that Lorelai was in a relationship with Luke. She tried to break them up because she sincerely believed that Lorelai's life would be better with Christopher. Christopher would bring Lorelai back into the world that she was born into, Emily's world and finally maybe Emily's fantasies would come true. But that was not to be.

Emily had finally realized that Lorelai would never return to her world, that Luke was always going to be part of Lorelai's life, and if she didn't accept him, Emily would loose her daughter forever. So she finally accepted Luke.

Once Emily accepted Luke, she was able to acknowledge that he is a good man. Though he will never fit the dream she had for her daughter, he obviously makes Lorelai happy. And, after all, Emily really does want Lorelai happy.

This last break-up had caught Emily by surprise. Lorelai is so good at hiding her true feelings that she had convinced Emily that everything was fine that Friday night at dinner. Of course now Emily knows the truth.

Rory had shared enough of the story with her to understand that Lorelai had basically suffered a totally emotional collapse. Emily had longed to run to comfort her daughter but deferred to Rory's request to stay away. Even as a child, Emily had never really known how to assuage Lorelai's grief.

Over the month, Emily kept in touch with Rory but she did speak to directly with Lorelai twice. Both times their conversation had been stilted and awkward. When Rory informed her that they were returning to Stars Hollow, Emily had been elated. That could only mean that Lorelai was really better.

When Rory shared with her that Luke was back in Lorelai's life, Emily was surprised how happy the news made her. She still is not a fan of Luke Danes but he is the one that Lorelai wants. Emily can live with that.

Emily will never admit this but she knows that Richard's insistence that they return early because of work was a ruse. The dire problem that required his attention could have been handled through phone calls. He wanted to return to check on Lorelai and he knew that Emily wanted that also.

So now they are all here. Emily notes that Luke is keeping a protective arm around Lorelai and Rory has slipped her arm through hers. Lorelai herself is leaning up against Luke as though she needs support. Emily wonders again if she is physically ill.

Richard appears from his study and warmly greets everyone. He too, scans his eyes across Lorelai and he is concern.

Everyone moves to the living room. Luke, Lorelai, and Rory take their seats on the sofa. Emily sits across in her chair. Richard is poised at the bar when he asks, "What does everyone want to drink?"

Luke takes hold of Lorelai's right hand as Rory grabs her left. Hesitantly, Lorelai addresses her father, "Ohm, Dad could you please sit down for a moment. I, err, we need to talk with you."

(tbc)


	20. Chapter 20 Drawing Near

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

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* * *

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**Chapter 20 – Drawing Near**

"_Ohm, Dad could you please sit down for a moment. I, err, we need to talk with you."_

Richard puts down the glass that he is holding and asks Lorelai, "Do you need money?"

Lorelai smiles poignantly as his question triggers a memory from seven years ago. "No Dad, we don't need money. Please, could you just sit down and listen."

Richard walks over to sit in the chair next to Emily. The tension in the room is palpable. Both Emily and Richard are poised on the edge of their seats as though they are ready to spring.

Luke squeezes Lorelai's hand tighter as their eyes momentary lock together. He is trying to send her as much encouragement as he can.

Lorelai takes one deep breathe, turns to look at her parents, and spits it out, "Mom, Dad, I'm pregnant. Luke and I are expecting twins on January 16."

There is silence in the room for almost 60 seconds. Emily is the first one to speak. "I suppose congratulation is appropriate."

"Thank you, Mom."

Finally Richard speaks, "When's the wedding?"

This is the question that Lorelai knew would come but she still doesn't know how to answer it. How can she tell her parents that once again that there will not be a wedding? That just like before, she plans to have her babies alone? Well, not exactly alone because Luke unlike Christopher will not abandon his children.

They will not understand, nobody will understand. She's not even sure that she really understands. She just knows that she will never get married. It is not her destiny.

She tried to alter the predetermined course that was set for her life but she couldn't. Fate has always found a way to stop her and always will. So finally she has accepted that fact.  
She understands how crazy this sounds but it doesn't make it any less true. Every time she had tried to finally walk down that isle, someone or something prevented it.

For years she waited and hoped that one day she and Christopher could finally put their lives together but, of course that didn't happen. Not that she is holding that against fate. That turned out to be a good thing, actually a very good thing.

Then there was Max. He was such a great guy and she really did care for him. She wanted so badly to love him but she couldn't. He just wasn't the right guy.

So fate started dropping anvils on her head until she finally realized that to marry Max would be so wrong. Again, she felt that fate had been her friend and protected her from making a horrible mistake.

Then fate had led her to Luke. Theirs was a romance that was written in the stars and she thought blessed by fate. She felt that he was the one that fate always had planned for her. She saw it so clearly that night in the diner as he ranted on and on about saving Rory. She felt that fate had finally gifted her with the golden ring.

Sure, the wedding was delayed while Rory played out her adolescent rebellion but that was fate's way of giving Lorelai time to adjust. Lorelai always needs time to adjust to major changes in her life.

Then Rory came home and Lorelai experienced perfect happiness! She had Luke and Rory, the date was picked, the dress was bought, and the plans for the wedding were set. Then fate stepped in again.

Luke hid his daughter from her. She tried to understand and not see ulterior motives in it. She tried to be supportive him of his methods of dealing with April even though she did not agree with the way he chose to handle it. She tried to prove to him and to herself that she could do this. She really tried.

She spent months trying to believe this was just one more little test so she could prove that she was finally ready for this commitment. Luke had spend months patiently waiting with her for Rory's return. He hadn't agreed with the way she chose to handle the situation but he stood by her and supported her completely. She needed to do prove that she could to the same for him. But, she found that she wasn't capable of the strength and tenacity required for the challenge.

For months she had tried to ignore all her doubts and insecurities but she couldn't, they just grew stronger. She was losing the battle and she was losing her dream.

She had made one last desperate attempt to thwart fate. Somehow she knew that if she and Luke actually got married, fate would lose its power over her life. She begged him to elope but he wouldn't or couldn't. And that was the end, fate won again.

Now her father is waiting to hear about the wedding that she will never have. How can she tell him that she wants to get married, that Luke wants to get married, but fate won't let that ever happen? Lorelai knows it sounds crazy but it is what she believes.

Just as she opens her mouth to explain, Luke clears his throat and starts, "Richard, Emily, I know you both are aware of the bad patch that Lorelai and I have been going through. We are working hard to try to solve our problems but we are not there yet."

There is an uncomfortable pause before Richard turns a steely glare toward Luke and asks, "So are you saying that there will be no wedding? You are going to have a baby, two babies but no marriage?"

"What I am saying is that Lorelai and I are committed to each other and our babies."

"So let me see if I understand this correctly. You and Lorelai plan to raise the babies together but not be married?" Richard states in a business like tone.

Outraged, Emily exclaims, "That's absurd! Richard, tell them that's absurd. You two were engaged for months, you planned a wedding. Yes, you had a problem but obviously you are back together again. You are not children; you are two grown adults that need to take responsibility for your actions. You are going to be parents. You owe it to your children to marry."

Richard stands up and peers at Luke with disdain, "Luke, I wish you to join me in my study for a private discussion."

"Dad, please! Anything that you intend to say to Luke you should say in front of me"

"Lorelai, for the second time in your life, you are intent on bringing humiliation and scandal to the Gilmore name. There is nothing that I can say to you that you have not already heard and dismissed. Luke, on the other hand, is new to this melodrama. There are things that I wish to discuss with him man to man. I can not do this in front of ladies. I believe at the very least, I am entitled to this much respect."

Luke turns to face Lorelai still holding her right hand in his left. "Your father's right. I need to speak with him alone. You'll be alright?"

Luke looks at Rory for assurance that she will take care of Lorelai. Rory nods at Luke as she links her arm through her mother's and squeezes her hand. Luke stands up and follows Richard to his study.

* * *

Luke closes the door after he enters the study. Richard takes a seat in one of the pair of leather club chairs while Luke sits down in its adjoining mate. "This is a very serious situation, Luke and I do not understand your position on it." 

Luke takes a deep breath and responds, "I'm sorry sir, I'm sure that you don't. It is a complicated matter."

"Complicated?"

"Relationships are always complicated."

"You appear to care for my daughter."

"I love your daughter very much."

"My daughter appears to care a great deal for you also. That is what makes this whole affair so incomprehensible. As you both love each other, I fail to comprehend the problem preventing you two from marrying as planned."

"Loving each other was never our problem."

Richard gets up from the chair and pours a scotch from the decanter on his desk and offers one to Luke who declines the offer. "If that is the case again I say I do not understand why you are unwilling to marry?"

"As I said before, it's complicated."

"Complications be damned! There are procedures and guidelines to follow in situations like this, but look who I am talking to. Both you and Lorelai have irresponsibly brought daughters into the world without bothering to provide a fundamental home for them. Why should I expect any different behavior now?"

Luke looks distressed as he shifts in the chair, "I will never abandon Lorelai or the babies. I will be there everyday and in everyway I possibly can. I am not Christopher."

Barely restraining his temper, Richard continues, "But you are unwilling to legally marry my daughter. And don't try to placate my anger with another vague reference to complications. I want to know, damn it, what these insurmountable complications are."

Luke looks down at his shoes as he tries to formula a response. This is the tricky part. He would rather that Richard and Emily think he is the one hesitating than for them to blame Lorelai. "Look Richard, I told you it is complicated but it's a private issue between Lorelai and me. I am sorry but I am not going to share our personal problems with you."

Richard suddenly smashes his hand hard down on the desk. "Damn it man, that is not acceptable." Peering closer, Richard asks, "You are the father, aren't you?"

"Yes, absolutely." "

Then why won't you marry her? Or is Lorelai the problem? Is she the one unwilling to commit?"

Luke closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he responds. "Look Richard, all of this is my fault, I screwed up. You have a right to be angry with me. Belt me if it would make you feel better, just don't take your disappointment out on Lorelai. She needs your love and support now more than ever, especially with the pregnancy."

Richard suddenly looks concern, "Everything is alright? I mean Lorelai and the babies are healthy?"

"Yes, so far but the pregnancy has not been easy on her. I am sure that all of the upset and stress that she has been through in the last month or so didn't help and I won't allow her to be subjected to any more. She needs peace and calm and love right now. That's what I intend to give her."

Richard, who is a very bright man in his own right, can read between the lines of what Luke has told him. He knew some of the story surrounding the problems that caused this recent breakup but from this conversation he discerns that Luke has taken full responsibility to their problems, a position that a man like Richard respects.

Richard returns to the club chair and sits back in a relaxed posture. He takes a sip of scotch and reflects, "Lorelai is very like Emily in many ways, though I am sure that neither of them would acknowledge that."

"There was a time not so long ago, when, do to events that were happening in my life, I chose to shut Emily out in an effort to protect her from the realities of my problems. I believed that I was doing what was right for the both of us. I was not. I hurt Emily a great deal and caused a horrible division in our relationship"

"Emily is a very strong and proud woman. She meets all challenges and obstacles with confidence and resolve. Her only major vulnerability is her love of her family. Rejection by someone she loves causes her enormous pain that requires a long time to heal. Lorelai's leaving with Rory is still a very sensitive subject. My own rejection of her took months to heal, but with time and a bit groveling on my part we were able to not only repair but enhance our relationship."

Luke looked at Richard with a sense that something very momentous had just occurred. If Luke was a member of the new-age, feely, touchy believers, he might have recognized the last moments as a sort of bonding between Richard and himself. As is, he only concedes that Richard and he have reached a certain level of respect and understanding.

Richard gets up to refresh is scotch and this time Luke agrees to accept a drink. Just as Richard sits down again and hands Luke his glass, there is a knock on the study door.

* * *

From the moment that Luke followed her father out of the room, Lorelai's stress level began rising exponentially. She is worried about Luke and she is dreading the inevitable confrontation with her mother. 

Emily gets up and heads towards the bar. "What would you like to drink, Rory? Lorelai, we have water, soda, or perhaps some fruit juice?"

"Grandma, do you have tomato juice?"

"I believe that we do, but if you want a Bloody Mary, we have this marvelous new recipe."

"No thank you, Grandma, just straight tomato juice please."

"Same for me, Mom."

Emily hollers out to the maid du jour, "Solange!"

"Oui, Madame?"

"My daughter and granddaughter would like tomato juice, please bring us a pitcher."

"Oui, Madame."

While the maid scurries off to get the juice, Emily pours and consumes her first double martini. There is an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air until the maid returns with the pitcher. Emily pours the juice and serves the girls their drinks. She pours herself a second martini and moves back to her chair. "So Lorelai, have you seen a doctor yet?"

"Yes Mom, of course, that's how we discovered that there are two. We are all healthy." Reaching into her handbag, she pulls out a large envelop. "Here Mom, are their first pictures."

Emily takes the envelop and pulls out the ultrasound. As she looks at the picture, she remarks, "Thank you Lorelai. I'll be sure to have it framed tomorrow so I can place on the mantle. That way, I can show all of my friends pictures of my newest grandchildren still inside my perpetually unwed daughter."

"Mother, please."

"Please what, Lorelai? We can't discuss the fact that once again you have gotten yourself pregnant and refuse to marry the father?"

"Grandma, please."

"I just want to know your excuse this time for not marrying the father of your children, Lorelai. Let's see, last time you used that you were too young. Are you planning to tell me this time you are too old?"

"Mother please, could we talk about something else?"

"No Lorelai, we can't. This is serious. Have you given any thought to how you are going to raise two babies alone?"

"I am not alone. Luke, their father, is with me in this."

"Honestly Lorelai, do you plan to drop the twins off at the diner each morning while you go to work so Luke can take care of them? Or perhaps you plan for each of you to take one child for a week and switch off? How do you intend to manage at night when both of the babies need to be fed and changed?"

"Mom we will work it out; I won't be alone. Actually Luke has moved in with me. He'll be there every night to help."

"He's move in with you? So you're living together? I see, let me get this straight. You can live together as if you are married, you can raise your children together as if you are married, but you just can't manage to actually be married? Am I correct?"

"Mom, it's complicated."

"No Lorelai, it's not. I understand that you and Luke had a problem, but if you are living together then obviously the problem has been resolved. What is it; you wish to be trendy like the Hollywood set? They all seem to be having babies without the bothering to marry first. Maybe you and Luke can head to Africa like that Burt Pitt and Angela somebody another to give birth."

"It's Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and no, I have no plans to give birth in Namibia. As for the other stuff, we haven't worked it all out, but we will."

"When Lorelai? This is serious; two babies are a major responsibility. I can already tell that the pregnancy has taken its toll on you. You look all washed out and tired. You can't handle this alone."

"Honestly Lorelai, do you ever think before you act? You are the most irresponsible woman alive. You need to consider the future of these children. What's happens if you can't take care of them? Sissy Masterman's daughter was bedridden for over 6 weeks with her twins. Have you thought about that? Who will take care of you then?"

Lorelai rubs her hand across her temple to soothe the her raging headache. Then she drops her hand to her belly and begins to rub circles across it to try to calm down the queasiness building inside before she answers, "Luke, Luke will take care of me and the babies. He takes care of me now. Please Mom could we talk about something else. How about your granddaughter? Don't you want to know about her exciting job at the Stamford Eagle Gazette?"

Lorelai turns to Rory and asks, "Don't you want to tell Grandma about your exciting job, honey?"

"Rory dear, I would love to hear about your job but not now."

Emily turns back to Lorelai, "What makes you think Luke will stay with you when you are fat and bedridden with twins if you're not married? Christopher didn't."

"Oh for God's sake Mother, Luke is nothing like Christopher. Don't even try to compare them. Do you actually believe that Christopher would have been around even if we did marry?"

"Grandma, Mom never kept Dad away. It was always his choice. I was never a high priority for him.

"Rory, if your mother would have married your father, he would have…"

Rory interjects, "He would have treated me like he treated GiGi before Sherry left him. He would have been gone most of the time."

"Rory, your father is a good man but..."

All of a sudden, Lorelai jumps off of the sofa and runs out of the room, mumbling, "Excuse me."

Startled, Rory and Emily follow her. They both see her run into the guest bath and begin to throw up. Emily shaken by the sight walks hesitantly to stand next to Lorelai and rests her hand gently on her daughter's head.

Rory heads to the study and knocks on the door.

* * *

The study door opens and Rory's head pops through. "Luke, it's Mom." 

Luke immediately heads out of the room and follows Rory to the powder room where he can hear Lorelai vomiting. Richard chases closely on his heals. When Luke enters the room, he sees Emily standing next to the kneeling form of Lorelai as another wave of nausea strikes. "Emily, could you moisten a washcloth for Lorelai, please?"

Without a word, Emily moves away to get the cloth and Luke kneels next to Lorelai. He pulls her hair back and begins to rub her back.

After the latest wave of nausea subsides, Lorelai sits up and leans against the wall for support. Luke gently washes her face. Rory had retrieved the untouched glass of tomato juice and hands it to Luke who begins to force Lorelai to drink.

"Better?"

"A little, though I don't know when vomiting became a spectator sport?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Luke catches Rory's eye. Rory begins to shoo her grandparents out of the room and back into the living room.

Emily speaks to no one specifically, "Ginger ale, I think we have some ginger ale. That should help. Oh, and soda crackers, I'm sure we have soda crackers. That helps, too."

"That's not necessary, Grandma. Those don't really work on Mom."

Emotional wrought, Emily's voice rises, "Well, we can't just stand here and do nothing. She needs help."

"Luke is helping. He knows what to do."

Richard asks, "How long has she been having this problem?"

"A couple of weeks now but it has been better in the last week or so since she discovered tomato juice."

Incredulous, Emily questions, "Tomato juice?"

"Yeah, it seems to be the only thing that settles her stomach. It's worked pretty well until today." Rory meaningfully fixes her eyes on her grandmother, "I think all of the stress and provocation tonight may have exacerbated the problem."

Emily walks towards her chair hiding the regret and pain from everyone. She never intended to upset Lorelai. She was just so shocked by the situation that she had not been able to restrain herself.

* * *

After ten minutes or so, Luke comes out and picks up Lorelai's hand bag. It's an awkward moment and he is unsure of what to say. "Uh, I'm going to take Lorelai home." 

Knowing that he should offer the requisite polite platitudes, Luke tries but the words catch in his throat. He's seething, not so much at Richard who he feels handle the news more or less as expected but at Emily. He doesn't know exactly what happened after he left the room but he has a pretty good idea.

"She's her mother, for Christ's sake!" he thinks to himself. "Doesn't she have an ounce of compassion in her? Any stranger could have seen that Lorelai wasn't feeling well tonight. You would think a mother would have some sort of instinct to offer comfort to her ailing daughter. But no, Emily Gilmore's feelings of disappointment and shame must take presidents over the health and welfare of her daughter."

Unable to say anything that could be at all considered polite, Luke chooses not to speak and merely turns to leave.

As he does, Emily unexpectedly suggests, "Her old room is still upstairs. You could take her there so she could rest. She could stay the night. You _both_ could stay the night."

Luke faces Emily and responds, "No thank you. I believe Lorelai will be more comfortable in her own bed. Good night."

He walks back to the powder room to find Lorelai rinsing water over her face. He hands her a towel and says, "Fun night, huh?"

"Oh yes, just a classic Gilmore roast with us as the main entrée. I don't see any cuts or bruises on you or Dad so I guess you two managed to keep it civilized."

"It wasn't so bad. Your mother?"

"Classic form. A full force attack, like I was a Henry Cuir bag at the Barney's Semi-Annual Warehouse sale."

"Huh?"

Lorelai smiles at him. "Never mind. You never get any of my shopping metaphors and my head hurts to much to come up with a sports related analogy. Just accept that she was the consummate Emily Gilmore. I'm sure she was only getting started before my stomach decided to reenact the Vesuvius eruption."

"Well, at least you found a way to shut her up."

Luke pulls her close to him and wraps his arms around her. Using that low, honey tone of his, he asks, "How 'bout I take you home?"

"Did I ever tell you, you're my hero?"

"You're not going to break out in song again, are you? Because I hate that song."

"I would but I'm too tired. Let's go home."

Luke tucks Lorelai protectively under his arm as Lorelai rests her head on his shoulder. As they walk through the foyer, Luke kisses her head and teases, "You'll warn me if you feel like heaving again?"

Lorelai pinches him on the butt as a response.

* * *

Rory stood in the living room staring at her grandparents after Lorelai and Luke left. "I was ashamed of both of you tonight." 

In unison, Richard and Emily cried, "Rory!"

"Your daughter came to tell you that you will have two new grandchildren and all you could do is attack her. You couldn't even spend five minutes to share this joy with her."

"You act as though she committed a crime. Actually, you showed much more compassion towards me when I had actually committed a crime."

"Okay, so Mom and Luke aren't married yet and I do mean yet. I believe that they will marry when they are ready. These past few months have been really hard on both of them. They need time and space to work their way back to each other. In just one week they have made enormous progress."

"Did you actually think that yelling at them was going to change anything; that if you screamed at them loud enough they would suddenly decide to schedule a wedding?"

"They are mature adults who see this situation more clearly than you. With or without your participation, they will be wonderful parents. These babies are lucky."

"They both have managed their lives fairly successfully on their own. They neither required nor solicited your opinion on their decision. You need to learn to respect their judgment or you will not be welcomed in their lives."

"Is that what you want? To be isolated from these new grandbabies like you were from me? Because, believe me, any more criticism from either of you will result in holiday only visits with the twins."

"And Grandma, if you bring up my dad one more time in front of Luke or Mom, you and I will have a serious falling out. He is not a part of their life together or of Mom's life separately. It's been over 21 years, get over it!"

Emily shifted uncomfortably, "Rory, I only mentioned Christopher name to…"

"Grandma, you mentioned Dad's name because you still harbor some weird fantasy that Mom and Dad will ultimately get together. That's never going to happen and I for one am glad."

Emily tries to defend her position, "Rory, you don't mean that. If your mother had married your father, your life would..."

Rory interrupts, "...not have been the magical experience that I cherish. Mom and Dad probably wouldn't have lasted even five years together. I wouldn't have grown up in Stars Hollow and I wouldn't be the person I am today."

"Grandma, Grandpa, I love my father but I am not blind to his shortcomings. He is a charming, witty, bright, and likeable guy but he is also weak, feckless, undependable, and selfish. I am glad that he wasn't around me much when I was growing up. I suspect his influence on me would not have been positive."

"Now, I believe I was invited for dinner?"

(tbc)


	21. Chapter 21 Drawing Nearer

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 21 – Drawing Nearer**

It's been over two weeks since the infamous Friday night dinner and Lorelai still has not spoken directly with her mother or father. Emily did call and leave several messages but Lorelai only called them back when she knew her parents were out of the house.

She can't avoid them forever but she is not ready to deal with them yet. The last two weeks had been fairly undramatic and she doesn't want anything to change that.

Lorelai finally completes all of the work at the Inn that was neglected while she and Rory hibernated in the mountains so Michel is taking next week off for a much needed vacation. It is much needed by both Michele and her. He is driving her crazy with his caustic comments and whining.

Rory's schedule at the paper is still hectic but they managed to find the time to squeeze in a five lunches and two movie nights together. Lorelai still misses her but no longer feels empty and lost because Rory is not around.

Luke and Jackson surprised Sookie and her with a treat yesterday, a relaxing afternoon at the spa. The girls enjoyed facials, manicures, pedicure, and massages. Sookie opted for herbal wrap while Lorelai indulged in a specially designed Mommy approved moisturizing body scrub. It felt good to spend girl time with Sookie.

The whole spa thing had been Jackson's idea. Davey played in his last T-ball game yesterday and Sookie had been banned from attending. Evidently Sookie had been a little too enthusiastic in her support and insulted the other team in their previous match up. Instead of telling Sookie that she couldn't come, Jackson arranged this spa appointment to keep her away.

Jackson mentioned the whole thing to Luke who immediately thought it would be good idea for Lorelai to join Sookie for the afternoon. He actually called the spa to make sure that their treatments were approved for expectant mothers.

Originally she thought this gift was such a sweet thing for him to do but now she is not so sure. At the end of their session, Lorelai tried to reach Luke to thank him for the wonderful day. He wasn't at the diner or at home and he didn't answer his cell. According to Lane, he left the diner for some appointment about three hours earlier but she expects him back soon.

That is the second time in the past week that Luke had been absent from the diner for several hours without an explanation. On Tuesday afternoon Lorelai called around 2:00 but Luke was out. He finally calls her back around 5:00. When she asks where he has been, he gives her a vague response that he had some errands. She hasn't thought too much about it until yesterday. Now she can't think about anything else.

He is keeping things from her again.

She thought about it all last night. All night long she dreams of more long lost children showing up or Luke with a secret family including a wife that looks alternatively like Rachel, then Nicole, and finally Anna.

She finally crawls out of bed at 11:30 this morning still exhausted and in a bad mood. Now she is tired, angry, and really, really hungry.

She knows that Luke is expecting her to come to the diner for breakfast but she is not going to go. She is too upset now to be pleasant around him and she has no intention of letting the town know. If she appears at the diner in less than a happy demeanor, everyone will be talking about it in less than 10 minutes. She is not going to prime the gossip pump with more information on her personal life than they already have.

The whole town seems to be watching every thing that she does these days. She is not being paranoid. She hears her name whispered in conversations and she is aware of the discussions that abruptly end when she appears. The town is watching her and Luke and making note of every nuance of their behavior. It is starting to really bug her.

So she can't go to Luke's and if she goes to Weston's, the whole town will again notice. Same goes if she eats at the Dragonfly. Even if she drives out of town, they will talk about it. Suddenly she feels like a prisoner in her own house.

That is why Lorelai now finds herself scavenging in her kitchen. She is looking for anything that looks good to eat. The refrigerator is full of stuff but everything in it requires cooking, there is no left over pizza or Chinese. She finally finds a partial box of Blueberry Pop-Tarts hidden in the back of a cabinet and eats two pieces. Unfortunately, they barely make a dent in her appetite and there aren't anymore.

Lorelai continues to forage as the phone rings. She doesn't answer because she knows it is Luke and she's not ready to talk to him. He leaves a message.

She knows that is childish to avoid him but she needs more time to figure out what she wants to say. For once she is not going to simply ignore a problem and hope it goes away. She is not going to just pack up and run away either, though the thought crosses her mind. This time she intends to confront him but she just not sure how to do this, hence the need for more time.

Eventually she assembles an epicurean disaster that fulfills her appetite and cravings. Besides the Pop-Tarts, she eats two pieces of toast with Vidalia Onion Jelly (someone had given her a jar as a gag gift), two hard boiled eggs (she made a mental note that 15 minutes is too long to boil eggs if your goal is soft boiled), an entire jar of pickled beets, and the last of the vanilla ice cream smothered in chocolate sauce. She is still eating when Luke shows up.

Luke takes one look at the assemblage of foods and asks, "What the hell are you eating?" Unfortunately, at the time, her mouth is full and all she can do is look back at him with an innocent gaze.

"I expected you at the diner by now. I was worried; you should have at least called."

She shrugs and swallows. Luke starts to clean up the mess she made and Lorelai finishes the last of the beets. Then she gets up and announces that she is going to take her shower and leaves the room.

"Okay, "Luke thinks, "that was different."

Luke finishes cleaning up and then calls the diner to tell them that he won't be back today. Originally he planned to work until 2:00 so that he and Lorelai could have some time together. Even though it is not yet 12:30, he senses that he better stay home now and figure out what's bugging Lorelai. Lane and Caesar both are working and they can handle the late afternoon crowd.

He heads upstairs and hears the shower running so he sits on the bed and waits. It's nearly 30 minutes before she comes out, fully dressed and looking like she is planning on going somewhere.

"Ahh!" she screams. "You scared me. I thought that you went back to the diner."

"Nope. Where're you going?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Oh, you know various errands."

"Errands on Sunday afternoon? What kind of errands?"

"Personal errands. I'm entitled to my personal errands just like you."

"Ah-hah!" he thinks, "Now we are getting to it." Luke walks over to stand in front of Lorelai and asks, "Lorelai, what's wrong?"

"What do you mean? I didn't say anything is wrong."

"No you didn't have to. The fact that you didn't come to the diner for breakfast and the sub-zero atmosphere I felt down in the kitchen told me, so spill."

"I don't want to talk about it yet."

Luke is tired. It has been a long week and Lorelai emotional swings are exhausting him. His patience is a little thin which explains why his voice is louder than he intended when he confronts her, "Oh no, Lorelai, you are not going to play that game again. We promised to tell each other everything so just say it."

"Oh, that's a good one from you." Lorelai spits back equally loud, "You mean I'm supposed to tell you everything but the same doesn't apply to you."

"What are you talking about?"

Waging an internal war with herself, Lorelai closes her eyes as she thinks. When she opens them again, she breaths deeply and asks, "Where were you yesterday and Tuesday?"

"What? You know where I was, where I always am, at the diner."

"All day? You never left the diner?"

"I may have gone out for an errand or …" Then it hits Luke. "Shit!" he thinks. He grabs Lorelai by the arm and leads her to the edge of the bed and says, "Sit."

Confused, Lorelai does as he asks. Luke then walks over to his closet and pulls out a large roll of papers and unrolls them as he brings them to Lorelai. He lays them out flat on the bed and tells her, "This is where I was Tuesday and yesterday."

Lorelai looks at the papers and recognizes them as blue prints. "What's this?"

"Our house."

"You want to build a house?"

"Not exactly. Where are we going to put the twins in this house? The only other bedroom is Rory's and we can't put them in there. Let's face it, this house is too small. So we have two options. We can find another house and buy it or …" he points to the blue print, "we can add on to this one."

Luke continues. "I went last Tuesday to talk with the architect and give him my ideas. He drew this up and I picked it up yesterday. I had planned to show it to you tonight. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Still feeling aggravated, Lorelai remarks, "So _you_ decided we need to add on and _you_ decided what it will look like. Did it ever occur to you that I might want to be a part of this decision?"

Irritated, Luke responds, "I didn't decide anything. I just thought that you might want to see what we can possibly do. This is only a preliminary draft so you can change any damn thing you want. Hell, you can have the whole thing redrawn. Or if you want to move to a new house, fine. That's probably a lot easier than adding on to this house, but I know the way you feel about this silly house. Hell, I love this house too. There's a lot my work, sweat, and memories in these walls also."

Somewhat appeased, Lorelai half-heartedly apologizes, "You were really at the architect? You should have talked with me first but it's kind of sweet. I'm sorry. I should have talked to you before I got so worked up."

"Lorelai, what did you think I was doing?"

Lorelai just looks down and doesn't respond.

A little louder and with a hint of impatience, Luke again asks, "What did you think I was doing?"

Finally Lorelai responds forcibly, "I didn't know, that was the problem. It left the whole question open for speculation. I imagined a lot of different things."

"Like what?"

Evasively, Lorelai respond, "Just stuff."

"Lorelai, for cripes sake, just tell me. What were you worried about?" Luke demands forcibly.

With her anger rising to the surface, Lorelai replies loudly, "Like maybe you found another long lost kid to hide from me or maybe you just got tired of all of this and decided to make it work with Anna!"

Now Luke is mad, "What the hell? Make what work with Anna? You are talking about April's mother, right? The woman that hid my kid from me for 12 years and just tried to run off with her to California so that I can't see her anymore, that woman?' Then Luke adds sarcastically, "Yeah, sure, she's the woman of my dreams!"

Yelling, Lorelai comes back with, "How the hell would I know, you never talk about Anna? How am I supposed to know if you're still yearning for her or not? You got her pregnant so there had to between you two! Maybe you decided to try to make it work with Anna for April's sake?"

Loudly, Luke tells her, "Damn it! Okay, you want to know? Well, here it is in a nutshell! I met Anna and she seemed like a nice woman. We dated and we had fun but there was no great love or passion between us. Yes, I slept with her but the pregnancy was an accident, actually it was some blasted cosmic miracle since Anna had been told that she could never get pregnant. The relationship ended before either of us knew about the pregnancy because there was no future for us together. I never really thought about her after it ended and probably would have never seen her again if it wasn't for April. Even if I wasn't in love with you, there would never be any romantic relationship between Anna and me."

"As for any more unknown children showing up, that will never happen. Trust me the thought did crossed my mind when I found out about April so I checked on every woman that I ever slept with. You and Anna are the only two women in the world that I have impregnated and you are the only woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Luke squats down in front of Lorelai and asks, "What can I do to get you to trust me again? I am trying every thing that I can think of to prove that I will never keep anything from you again, at least not anything important. I might still try to surprise you with a present occasionally but probably not often. Lorelai, I've learned my lesson, please believe me. I never will be that stupid again. Please baby, just tell me what I can do?"

Calmly and looking straight ahead with no discernable expression, she replies, "You can tell me why you hid April from me."

"I've told you, I was just being stupid. I handle it stupidly."

"Gee Luke, you're telling me that one day you just woke up and thought 'How stupid can I be today? What can I do to really humiliate Lorelai?' Is that what you were thinking?"

Looking abashed, Luke tells her, "Of course not. I never intended humiliate you or for you to find out like that. I am so sorry. I just wasn't thinking clearly. I didn't know what to do. I was stupid."

"Yes, you were stupid but that's _how_ you were thinking not _what_ you were thinking. I need to know what was going through you're mind that made you not tell me about April. I really need to understand."

Luke stands up and begins pacing like he is trying to make a decision. Finally, he turns and talks to her, "Okay, but I don't think that after you hear this, it's going to help."

He takes a deep breath and starts, "When April pulled my hair for her science project, I thought she was crazy. No way could I be her father. I'm not sure why I went to the science fair, I guess I just needed to know for sure. When I realized that I am her father, it was like someone kicked me in the gut. I never felt anything like that before. I didn't know what to do. I tried talking to her but I didn't really know what to say. She seemed surprised that I had shown up and didn't really seem interested in talking with me. So I just left."

"On the way home, I decided just to forget about it. April didn't to want to know me and, well, she seemed to be doing fine without me. Obviously, Anna didn't want me to be around. So I figured, why butt into their lives and mess everything up in ours. My plan was to tell no one and just pretend it never happened."

"Unfortunately, I couldn't forget. When I was around people or by myself, I couldn't stop thinking about April. Finally I had to tell someone, so I told Liz. That helped."

Lorelai speaks for the first time since he started, "You told Liz but you couldn't tell me? Why?"

Luke closes his eyes as he tries to figure out how to explain. Finally, he figures the truth is the best answer. "Because if I told you, then it would be real. I couldn't pretend that April didn't exist. Once you learned about April then I would have to step up to the plate and do something. I kept telling myself that would just ruin everything. You and I were on track towards marriage and April didn't need me. It would just mess everything up."

Lorelai looks at him and asks, "Who or what changed your mind?"

Shaking his head, Luke continues, "It was like a series of things. First, when you told me that Christopher is paying for Yale. I realized that even if I didn't have any contact with April, I still have a financial obligation to help support her. I started trying to get in touch with Anna but it took a while. She was always at her store because of the holidays I guess and I didn't want to leave a message on their answering machine in case April heard it. It wasn't until January that I was able to catch her at her home alone."

Confused, Lorelai remarks, "You didn't talk to Anna until January? That couldn't have been long before I first saw April."

"It was just a couple of days before. When I talked to Anna, she agreed to let me help financially with April. I told her that I didn't intend to interfere in their lives and she was happy about that. Anna never thought that I would be any good for April"

"Before I left Anna's, she told me about April's website. I couldn't get it out of my mind, I had to see it. I don't know why. Anyway, I got Kirk to lend me his laptop and I pulled up her site. When I saw it, I don't know, something sort snapped in me. Next thing I know I am calling Anna and demanding to see April."

"Anna agreed and the next day April met me at a park. It was kind of a dumb idea because it was January and cold. I didn't really plan anything because I didn't know what she liked so we just sat on a park bench and talked. I guess it went okay because she asked to come to the diner the next day. That caught me off-guard. I said yes before I even thought about it."

Luke took hold of Lorelai's hand as he looked sincerely into her eyes, "I tried to tell you about that night, I really did. I just chickened out when I saw you walk down the steps in your wedding dress. You looked so perfect and I just couldn't ruin the moment. If I could only do it all over again, I swear I would tell you right away."

Lorelai just sat there and didn't make a sound. "Lorelai, please tell me what you are thinking."

"I don't know. It's a lot to process but I guess I kind of understand. I need to think about it more. I do know one thing for sure."

"What?"

"Grr," Lorelai exclaimed, "the more I know about Anna, the more I hate her."

Lorelai's remarks alerted Luke. He didn't want her to start another rant about Anna and get herself all worked up again. He already spent two days calming her down about Anna.

The first time was right after he told her about Anna's plan to take April to California. Lorelai was intent on giving Anna a verbal smack down by channeling Emily. It took him all night and half of the morning to get her to let go of the idea.

Then again the next afternoon when Lorelai told Rory and both of them got worked up. Luckily he walked in when Rory was talking to some guys named Colin and Finn. Evidently she was enlisting them in some plan that she and Lorelai had concocted to make Anna miserable. He had to threaten both boys before they agreed to back down and then he spent the rest of the evening reprimanding both Lorelai and Rory for being so childish.

He understands their feelings but he can't let them get involved. That will only exasperate the hard feelings Anna has against him and Lorelai. It will make things difficult for April. No, it's best to just keep Lorelai away from Anna. As long as Anna doesn't try anything else underhanded, he can manage to put up with her veiled accusations for April's sake.

In a quiet tone, Luke pleads, "Lorelai please, don't get worked up over Anna. It's not worth it. Please for April's sake, just let it go."

Lorelai sits still for a couple of seconds and then agrees, "Yeah, okay but she better not pull anything else."

Luke smiles, "I agree."

Lorelai reaches up and rubs her hand across his stubble and asks, "So how many bedrooms did you ask the architect add?"

* * *

Babette is sitting quietly next to her window when she hears loud voices coming from Lorelai's house. It sounds to her like Lorelai and Luke are fighting. Oh, this is not good news. 

The town expects Babette to keep an eye and ear open around the house so that she can keep them informed on Lorelai and Luke. Up until now, things appeared to be going pretty well. They both are working a lot of hours but they still manage to spend a lot of time together. They are not going out a lot but seem to be more content to stay home together. If the nocturnal sounds Babette hears coming out of Lorelai's and Luke's bedroom most nights are any indication, their sex life is definitely back to normal.

Babette has noticed April eating dinner at the house with Luke and Lorelai almost once a week since Lorelai's return. ("Poor kid," reflects Babette, "I am glad her burn seems to have healed. That's a tough break.") Of course, the whole town knows that Lorelai always makes at least an appearance in the diner every time April is visiting. So the April issue is apparently worked out.

Though everything appears to be good with Lorelai and Luke, Babette sees no indication that the wedding is back on, at least not yet.

The other morning, she sees Lorelai sitting out on her front porch. This is the opportunity that Babette had been waiting for. She toddles over for a visit.

"Hi ya Sugar!" Babette greets Lorelai while walking up the steps on to the porch. Just as Babette reaches the top step, she is almost knocked over by Paul Anka who is running for his life from Apricot. Lorelai reaches out to steady her as Babette grabs hold of Lorelai's waist for support.

"Babette, are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine sweetie. Poor Paul Anka didn't mean to trip me." Babette turns to yell, "Morey, I'm over at Lorelai's."

A disembodied voice replies, "Okay babe."

"So Lorelai, how's it going? I hardly see you around anymore and when you are home, you and Luke keep to yourselves, if you know what I mean. How's that going, with Luke living here full time I mean, though the sex part seems to be great with you two?"

"Babette!"

"Oh honey, it's nothin' to be ashamed of. Remember it's summer time and your windows are open. Besides, I'd be worried about you two if you weren't getting' some. My god, you've got that big hunk of man around, it would be a waste not to use him. All I can say is thank God you weren't together when he was at his peak, because a seventeen year old Luke might have killed you, if you know what I mean. That man of yours has endurance."

"Note to self, buy an air conditioner for the bedroom," thinks Lorelai. She smiles innocently at Babette and changes the subject. "Oh Babette, I see you're gardening. You better get back before it get too hot."

"Oh honey, let me show you my prizes. You know, you should get Luke to dig you a garden out back. You have that big backyard and nothing planted there. You have room for a flower garden, a vegetable garden and you could even have an herb garden."

Lorelai shutters involuntarily at the thought. "Oh Babette, I'm not really much of a gardener. Everything I plant seems to die."

Begrudgingly Babette agrees, "That's true, Sugar. You planted those bulbs I gave you sideways so they never had a chance. I guess it's better if you stay away from gardening."

"Lorelai sweetie, take a look at my alliums. Aren't they pretty? My favorite is the purple but I think the blue and the pink are pretty too. You'd never know that they are a relative of the onion, would you?" "An onion, really?"

Lorelai bends over to sniff.

"What's your favorite flower, honey?"

"Oh you know I still love daisies."

"What do you think of these mums? Aren't they a pretty color? What's your favorite color?"

Lorelai thinks before she answers, "I like yellow because it's a happy color but I like blue also. I guess yellow and blue are kind of tied for my favorite, depending on the day and my mood. Why?"

"Oh, you know, just asking sweetie. Well, I better get back to my gardening. See ya."

A little confused by the abruptness, Lorelai tells her good bye and returns into her house.

As soon as Lorelai is gone, Babette rushes inside and calls Patty. "Patty hon, listen. I've got some news for you."

Babette proudly announces that she had discovered Lorelai's favorite colors. This information allows them to decide the wedding colors. Babette wants to go with soft, silky yellow and an icy blue whereas Patty's inclinations are for a vibrant yellow with an electric blue and, for spice, adding a little bodacious red and brazen purple to the mix. After squabbling over the color choices for fifteen minutes with Babette constantly reminding Patty that this is not her wedding but Lorelai's, they agree to disagree. They finally decide to submit the colors yellow and blue to the rest of the group of wedding planners and let the entire team vote on the actual color selections.

Then Babette shares with Patty that Lorelai's favorite flower is still the daisy. This news surprises Patty since she assumed that daisies would remind Lorelai of the Max fiasco. Obviously, that's not the case. Patty and Babette agree that daisies will be the central flower in the wedding.

Then Babette's voice takes on a conspiratorial tone, "Now Patty, sit down sugar 'cuz. I've some real information for you. Are you sitting down?"

"I thing your speculation is right. I'll bet you anything that Lorelai's pregnant. I accidentally on purposed tripped and had to catch a hold of Lorelai to keep from falling. I got a real good look at her waist line and it's definitely getting bigger. I don't think she's getting fat because the rest of her, except maybe her boobs, looks thin as a rail. I noticed that she rigged some sort of extension thing with elastic through her button hole to fasten her jeans. I think you're right doll, there's baby Danes growing in there."

* * *

That was last Friday and the rumor mill is now running 24 hours a day. Everyone is trying to catch a glimpse of Lorelai's stomach. Unfortunately, she always dresses in such a way to hide any view they hope to get. So no one is able to verify the rumor but that doesn't stop the town from believing that it is true. 

With this new development, the core group of Stars Hollow wedding planners meets to discuss the implications. Obviously the date of the wedding will have to be sooner instead of later, the sooner the better.

Taylor, who is not at all happy with this latest news, asks Kirk get to look up an old town statute that he remembers so that he can charge Luke (and possibly Lorelai) for immoral behavior.

Amazingly, Kirk refuses. In fact he gets very emotional at the idea and threatens to stomp on Taylor's toes if he tries anything like that. Kirk is so upset that he breaks down mumbling something about challenging Taylor to a duel to protect Lorelai and Luke being his father.

It makes no sense to the group but touches their hearts with his sincerity. They all, sans Taylor, gather around Kirk to assure him that no charges will be filed.

Patty informs Taylor in a menacing tone that if he intends to charge Luke and Lorelai for procreating without a license, then he better be prepared to charge half of the town including some members of his own family. She offers to provide him a list.

Taylor begrudgingly agrees to back off and Kirk composes himself so the meeting can continue.

This new development brings the wedding dress into question. If Lorelai is already beginning to show, chances are that the dress she has will not fit. They will have to get her a new one. But how? No one could come up with a way to solve the wedding dress issue, so they decided to adjourn until Wednesday so they can mull over this latest problem. Sookie will be at the meeting on Wednesday and has promised to bring Rory with her. Hopefully those two will confirm the pregnancy and come up with an idea regarding the dress issue.

Before adjourning they all remind Babette to continue her vigil and report any new information as soon as possible. So that's why Babette is seated next to her window on Sunday listening to the voices coming from next door. When she first hears the yelling, she puts on her Sonic Sleuth Spy Toy Listening Device that she originally bought as birthday gift for Morey's nephew (the kid wants to be a spy). The device tunes in to sounds from over 300 feet away. Babette's conscience bothers her a little bit with such a blatant attempt at eavesdropping but this is an emergency.

She puts on her headphones just in time to hear Lorelai yell "Oh, that's a good one from you. You mean I'm supposed to tell you everything but the same doesn't apply to you." She listens to the whole conversation and doesn't put them down again until she hears Lorelai asks, "So how many bedrooms did you ask the architect add?"

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" thinks Babette, "twins, not just pregnant but twins! And what was all of that about Anna taking April to California?"

So much information, Babette could hardly contain herself. Babette is so excited that she can't wait to tell Patty. She starts to call her but decides that she needs to tell her in person. She wants to see Patty's face when she tells her about the twins.

* * *

Rory hasn't been to Friday night dinner for two weeks but it is not because she is avoiding grandparents. She has had to work both nights. She tried to find the time to visit them but between her work schedule and their social calendar, they haven't been able to find a time until today. 

Her grandmother called her this morning and asked if she could join them for dinner tonight. Rory is scheduled to finish work at 6:00 so tonight will be good. This actually works out perfect since Rory knows that Luke is planning on taking the afternoon off so he and her mom can spend time together. She really didn't want to be the third wheel and didn't have any place to go except to hang out at the diner watching Lane work.

When she arrives at the grandparents, the atmosphere is warm and friendly. After her criticism of their behavior towards her mom and Luke, nothing more was said about it. The Friday night dinner conversation focused on Rory's job and the Gilmore's recent trip to Europe. Rory assumes that tonight's conversation will follow the same pattern. She is wrong.

From the moment that she walks in the door, Emily and Richard begin questioning her about Lorelai's pregnancy. They are sincerely concerned about her and the babies. Their genuine compassion breaks down Rory's defenses and before she realizes it, she spills the whole story beginning with April's arrival on the scene. She didn't mean it to happen but they are good at interrogation. They double teamed her and broke her like glass.

As soon as Rory realizes what she did, she is aghast. All this information at Emily's and Richard's disposal!

Just as Rory is about to read them the riot act, she recognizes something in her grandparents eyes that she has rarely seen. There is real sorrow and pain.

After a moment of silence, Richard finally speaks. "Rory, we had no idea of the all the difficulties that your mother and Luke went through. I know perhaps we have not always been fair in our assessment of Luke and possibly we have been less than supportive of your mother in her choices in life, but we do love her. She is our daughter, our only child."

"Luke is not who we envisioned for your mother, but if you are sure this is the man to make her happy, then what can we do to help? I know for a fact that Luke loves your mother and is willing to marry her. Your grandmother is convinced that Lorelai really wants to marry Luke but something is holding her back. If you know what that is and there is anything that we can do to remove this obstacle, please tell us."

"Your grandmother and I are at your disposal. Anything we can do to help, just let us know."

Rory stares at her grandparents as she makes one of the hardest decisions in her life.

(tbc)


	22. Chapter 22 Together, Almost

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 22 –Together, Almost**

Rory is sleeping soundly when Lorelai unceremoniously climbs into her bed and wakes her. "Mom please, don't you have a bed of your own?"

"I thought that you might be lonely."

"Do you realize how inherently evil you are for waking me up? I was dreaming that I just about to receive the Livingston Award for Young Journalists. If I never win that award, it will be your fault!"

"You're crabby when you wake up."

"I'm crabby because some crazy woman woke me up for no reason. Mom, don't you have someone else you can snuggle with? I need my sleep."

"Luke's left for the diner and the bed's too big."

Rory scoots over a little as she says, "Alright, but stay on your half and left me get back to sleep."

Lorelai crawls under the covers and lies on her side staring intensely at the back of Rory's head.

After a minute or so, Rory's frustration kicks in and she sits up in bed. "Okay, okay, I surrender! I can feel you boring holes in the back of my head. So speak, the doctor is in. Did you have another dream?"

"No it's not that, I just need your Ivy League perspective on something." Lorelai turns to lie on her back and begins to recount the conversation from yesterday between Luke and her. When she finishes, she asks, "So what do you think?"

"Am I getting a new bedroom?"

"What?"

"In the new addition, will I get a new bedroom?"

"Rory, that is so not the point! And it depends on whether we decide to turn this room into a Kabbalah meditation room or not."

"You and Luke are taking up Jewish mysticism?"

"Rory, focus! I need your thoughts on Luke's explanation."

"Mom, you know what I think but your thoughts are the only ones that matter. What do you think?"

"I don't know that's why I need to talk with you."

"Mom, you do too know. What's your gut reaction?"

Lorelai thinks for a moment. "Hmm, I think I'm relieved. I mean, his explanation sounds so Luke-like. He didn't hide it from me because of lack of trust. I don't know. I think he gets it now, don't you? You know, that he really gets that we have to talk about everything and work together."

"Yes, and I told you that. He told you that. Everyone told you that and you know it too. The man has learned his lesson so maybe it's time to think about the future? Let him know that you forgive him and set a wedding date."

"Rory, not so fast! Everything is going so well now. I don't want to change anything."

Mom, what's going to change? You'll have a nice ceremony and you'll give each other rings, nothing else will change. He already lives here; you've already co-mingled your finances. What would change other than your last name?"

"Marriage is more than that. It means a major commitment; we'll be joined together for life. What if something big happens again? What if…"

"Mom your killing yourself with the 'what ifs'! What are you really afraid of?"

Lorelai closes her eyes really tight, trying to hold back the tears. "Me. I'm afraid of me. What if I can't do it? What if I mess it all up again? You know it wasn't just Luke that bungled up everything? I didn't talk with him. I tried to do what he wanted but I handled it the wrong way. I should have talked to him but I was afraid so I let all my emotions build up and then I sort of exploded. I ran away, what if I run away again?"

"You won't.

"Rory, you don't know that. I have a history of running away. Things get too much for me to handle, I flee. "

"You won't run again."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know you. Let me ask you one question. How did the running turn out for you?"

"Not so well." Lorelai admitted.

"So why would you do it again. Besides, you didn't run away yesterday. You stayed and worked out your problem with Luke. Neither you nor Luke is always going to be perfect. You know as well as I do that marriage takes work and comprise, just like relationships. I just don't understand how being married to Luke will be any different that what you have now."

"It probably wouldn't be."

"The why the wedding phobia?"

Lorelai confesses, "Because as soon as we start planning a wedding or even talking about planning a wedding something is going to happen. The proverbial second shoe will drop and derail everything once more. I can't do that again, especially not with …" Lorelai wraps her arms protectively around her stomach, "these little ones. I can't risk it. Maybe after they're born and if I haven't driven him away with my craziness. I don't know, maybe."

"If your craziness hasn't driven him away yet, it never will."

"Rory, I haven't been that crazy, have I?"

"Mom, I came home from work the other night and found Luke comforting you in the kitchen. You were crying over the coffee pot."

"I miss coffee."

"You were crying because you were afraid that the coffee pot feels neglected. That's crazy."

"Okay, maybe that was a little crazy but it looks so sad when it's empty."

"Mom, it's a coffee pot, it doesn't emote."

"Rory, I'm happy now. I feel safe. Every time I start thinking about a wedding, I get scared again. I can't help it. I don't want to risk loosing him again. I just don't want anything to change."

"Mom, you do realize that you just espoused the same justification that Luke used not to tell you about April in the first place?"

"Rory it is so not the same. Luke used it to avoid dealing with something life changing and I am using to keep things from changing. It is totally different."

"Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that, Mom and maybe someday you'll really believe it."

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, Luke notices a lot of the town's people heading into Miss Patty's. Kirk, who is eating in the diner at the time, becomes strangely nervous when Luke asks him about it. After hemming and hawing something about a talent contest for refugees from New Hampshire, Kirk runs out of the diner to Miss Patty's. It's then that Luke notices that Taylor isn't next door in his ice cream shop. Now he is very suspicious. Yelling to Caesar that he's going out, Luke heads toward Miss Patty's studio to see what's going on. 

Just as he starts up the steps, Luke is met by Patty who was forewarned by Kirk. "Luke dear how wonderful that you want to join us."

"Hey Patty, join what? What are you talking about? What's going on?"

"Luke darling, we're planning the End of Summer festival, of course. This year Taylor really wants to make a statement. I'm surprised that you want to participate, but please come in. We can always find ways to use your big strong muscles."

"Ah jeez, another festival? Yesterday was Independence Day, how can you think about another crazy festival so soon? They haven't finished cleaning up from that. The air is still rank will the acrid smell from all of the fireworks. There's still trash in the square and red, white, and blue banners everywhere."

Before Luke turns to leave he adds, "You go ahead with your planning but leave me out of it. I was just curious when I saw half the town heading here, that's all. No way am I getting involved in any town craziness."

On her way to the meeting, Sookie spots Luke talking with Patty on the steps and panics. She quickly ducks around the corner to hide, smashing into Gypsy and Andrew, who are also hiding. The collision makes a bit of a ruckus.

As Luke heads back to the diner, he hears the commotion caused by Sookie, Gypsy, and Andrew as they try to disengage from each other. Curious, he turns to look and sees them sprawled on the ground and thinks, "Lorelai is right. This town is getting weirder. They all need to be heavily medicated."

Inside the studio, Taylor is up at the podium trying to call for order as Sookie, Gypsy, and Andrew enter. When Taylor spies Sookie, he is clearly annoyed as calls to her, "Sookie, finally! Where's Rory? I thought you promised to bring her? We scheduled this meeting around her work schedule, regardless of how it impacted the rest of us who also work everyday. According to you, this is the only time she could meet with us, so all of the rest us dropped everything we were doing just to be here. Where is she?"

"Taylor calm down, she is on her way. She just had to pick up something for the meeting and should be here within five minutes."

"Well, we can't wait for her." Taylor turns to Kirk, "Bring out the board."

Kirk rolls out a chalk board with the following written on it:

1. Wedding date –?

2. Bridal dress –?

3. Colors – Soft yellow and icy blue

4. Bridesmaids – Rory & Sookie

5. Bridesmaids' dresses –?

6. Luke – Suit or Tux?

7. Groomsmen –?

8. Chairs – 80

9. Chair covers – 63 completed / 17 remaining

10. Location – Dragonfly Inn

11. Platforms – Completed

13. Flowers – Daisy

14. Food – Sookie

15. Cake – Sookie

16. Drinks – Patty

17. Wedding music – Morey

18. Reception music – Hep Alien

Taylor puffs out his chest as he pounds the gavel, "Order people, people we need to come to order."

To help him out, Miss Patty stands up and whistles loudly before she yells, "Quiet!"

Everyone responds immediately and the room becomes silent.

Taylor points to the board and begins, "As you can see, we still have much to do. The first order of business is to set a date. Given the, err, impeding circumstances, I feel we need to set a date as soon as possible. Does anyone have a suggestion for a date?"

The crowd babbles loudly before Babette's voice cuts through the din, "Taylor we can't set a date until we figure how to get a wedding dress for Lorelai. That could take weeks!"

Most of the women and even a few of the men murmur in agreement until Taylor starts beating his gavel to try to control the noise. "Alright people, alright! I see that fashion once again takes precedence over everything. Are we absolutely certain that the current dress won't work?"

Patty responds, "Ah please Taylor, give it up. The old dress won't fit her. You can already see a little baby bump, another couple of weeks she'll be in full blown maternity clothes. She needs a new dress."

Taylor acquiesces, "All right, all right! Does anyone have an idea how we can get the appropriate attire?"

Babette stands up, "I got an idea that might work. It's a little crazy. I was thinking about Morey's niece, ya know the one Patty, Millicent. Well she's about Lorelai's size, maybe 20 lbs heavier. If I can convince Lorelai that Millicent is getting married and get Lorelai to design and make the dress for her, then it would probably be something that Lorelai likes. And it should fit over the baby bump pretty well given Millicent is heavier. What do ya think?"

While Babette is explaining her idea, the door to the studio opens and in comes a group of late arrivals to the meeting. When Babette finishes talking, there is a momentary lull before a voice is heard booming from the back of the studio.

"My daughter will not be sewing her own wedding dress!" declares Emily loudly.

All eyes in the studio turn around in amazement to see Rory standing next to her imposing grandmother accompanied by an unknown woman and man.

Patty is the first to recover, "Emily, how nice to see you again. We didn't expect you."

"Well, you should have." Emily pronounced as she advances regally toward the podium followed by Rory and the unknown companions. Pushing Taylor aside, Emily takes control of the meeting. "My granddaughter informs me that you intend to arrange a surprise wedding for Lorelai and Luke. Did you really think I would not want to be involved in planning my own daughter's wedding?"

Obviously the entire meeting assumes the question to be rhetorical or they are just too intimidated to respond, since everyone remains silent.

Looking at the chalk board with a disgusted look on her face, "I see you made an attempt at planning." Turning to the unknown couple that accompanied her, Emily orders them, "Gregory, Cecily, clean off that board and put up those posters you spent so much time creating."

Cecily and Gregory do as ordered and soon the town is looking at the two large poster boards. The first is a list of wedding plan tasks and the second is an artist's rendition of a winter wedding scene.

Emily begins to explain, "Cecily and Gregory are two of the top wedding planners in Hartford that I hired to create the perfect wedding. It will be held in the garden of the Dragonfly Inn on Saturday, July 15 at 8:00 PM. The theme, as you can see, is a magical Russian Winter Wedding."

A buzzing sound erupts throughout the studio as the towns' people debate this new development. Rory takes the opportunity to whisper privately to Emily, "You know Grandma even in Connecticut I don't think you can expect snow in July."

"Of course not, we will simply have it brought in."

"Grandma, it will melt!"

"Rory dear, do you really believe all those movie and television shows use real snow? Besides, real snow is so messy. We have hired a special effects company to cover the grounds and plants with that artificial snow. From what they tell me, it's shipped in big trucks and they spray it around with fire hoses."

Emily turns back to look at the towns' people, "Attention people, attention. My granddaughter tells me that all of you wish to be involved in the preparations. Gregory and Cecily have a list of tasks and anyone who wishes to participate may sign up now. We have only ten days to put this wedding together, therefore if you really wish to participate, you must sign up today."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Gilmore," breaks in Taylor.

Emily turns to peer at him, "And you are?"

"I'm Taylor Doose, the Town Selectman. I am in charge of these proceedings. You're plans are very ambitious but our funds are limited. Who's going to pay for all this? We have less than $7,500.00."

Emily caste a disdainfully look at the mention of such a paltry sum and stated, "Mr. Doose, that amount will barely cover the cost of the food let alone the wedding. Please don't concern yourself. Lorelai's father and I will be paying for this. You may use the funds you set aside to purchase an appropriate gift for the newlyweds."

"Now Rory and I have many things to take care of, so I will leave you in the most capable hands of Cecily and Gregory. Sookie please come with us. I need to discuss the menu."

With that, Emily aristocratically marches out of the studio with Rory and Sookie trailing behind.

* * *

After about an hour, Emily and Rory are finally leaving Sookie's house. Rory had sat patiently in Sookie's kitchen listening to her grandmother and Sookie confer over the menu. With very few alterations, Emily accepts Sookie's recommendations. Now all that is left before the menu is finalized is the official tasting. Sookie agrees to come to Hartford on Sunday and bring samples of all of the dishes for Emily to check. 

"Grandma, there's still one major problem." Rory tells her as they both are leaving Sookie's.

"Rory, there are many major problems we still have to deal with. First of all the invitations, they absolutely must go out today. Did you remember your list?"

Rory hands Emily a printed copy as she confirms, "Yes Grandma, here's a copy. I already emailed this list to the printers. And yes, I realize that there are many things we still have to do but I really was referring to Mom's dress. How are we going to get a dress for Mom and, of course, a tux for Luke without them knowing about it? I mean, I know what size Mom normally wears but, you know, her size is changing. As for Luke, I have no idea what size he needs. I guess I could sneak his suit out of the house and we could pick up a tux based on that."

"Rory, don't be silly. All we need are their measurements and I have the perfect plan to get them. All that you have to do is to make certain that Lorelai and Luke come to Friday night dinner this week. I'll take care of the rest."

* * *

It is a few minutes after 7:00 PM when Luke and Lorelai arrive for Friday night dinner. Rory's car is parked in the driveway indicating that she is already in the house. 

Lorelai, as she gets out of the truck, sighs, "We're late. One more thing for my mother to grouse about."

Luke comes around and joins her as they both walk up to the door. "I suppose that's my fault because I didn't stop you from changing your outfit 14 times."

Lorelai smiles at him as she says, "You're finally learning."

Both stand staring at the door, not moving until Luke finally asks, "Do you want me to ring the bell or will you?"

Lorelai reaches out and pushes the bell, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…"

The door is opened by Rory. "Welcome!"

Lorelai looks at her daughter and says, "So you are finally giving up that pesky journalism dream to follow in mommy's footstep to become a maid?"

Luke rolls his eyes at Lorelai's comment and greets Rory with an awkward hug, "Hi Rory."

"Hi Luke, Mom. Come in! Grandma and Grandpa are upstairs with Miss Celine and Mr. Frowick. "

Lorelai involuntarily flinches as she declares, "Ah, the seasonal rejuvenation of the wardrobe." She turns to Luke to explain, "Miss Celine is my parents fashion consultant and personal shopper. Has been for years. Three or four times a year she comes and updates my parent's wardrobe. Mr. Frowick is my father's personal tailor."

"Not just Grandma's and Grandpa's wardrobe." warns Rory.

"What? Oh no!"

"Yes Mom, Grandma wants us _all_ upstairs to be measured and fitted. That includes you Luke. I think you, Mom, are getting a new maternity wardrobe and you, Luke, are about to be GQ'd. I think Grandma wants to outfit me in a new 'professional' wardrobe."

"Ah jeez, Lorelai. I am not letting your parents dress me. No way!"

Before Lorelai can respond, Richard comes down the stairs. "Ah, there you are. You're late. Come on, come on all of you. We need you all to come upstairs so we can get your measurements. Quickly now, they are waiting for you!"

"Dad, good evening!"

"What? Oh yes, good evening Lorelai, Luke. Come on now, we're in a hurry."

"Dad, though we appreciate the offer for a new wardrobe, we have to decline. We can buy our own clothes. Luke, Rory, and I came for dinner and your company, nothing else."

Lorelai, Rory, and Luke start moving into the living room as Richard yells upstairs, "Emily, they won't come upstairs."

Emily comes down the stairs, "What? What do you mean?"

"Good evening Mom"

"Lorelai what are you waiting for? Celine can't wait all night. Hurry up, all of you."

"Mom, we are not going upstairs so you can re-outfit our entire wardrobes. T hank you for the offer but no thank you."

"Lorelai, don't be silly. No matter how appealing it may be, I have no intention of creating a whole new wardrobe for any of you. I simply wish to get all of your measurements so I have it for my records. It is not uncommon for family members to give gifts of clothing for birthdays or Christmas. Though Luke, you are not officially a family member, you are my new grandchildren's father and Lorelai's consort. I believe gifting you with a present for the holidays is appropriate. Even flannel shirts require knowledge of the recipients arm length and neck size. So please hurry, we don't have all night."

Resigned to their fate, Lorelai loops her arm through Luke's on one side as Rory loops her arm through Luke's on the other and they both begin to drag Luke toward the steps. Lorelai

"Come on and we can't fight it." Lorelai coaxes Luke, "Is easier to simply appease them in their obsessions."

As they all three walk into the elder Gilmores' bedroom, Miss Celine immediately seizes Rory, "Ah Audrey, I see you have brought me Natalie Wood. Natalie dear, your mother tells me that you are expecting twins. You know, I advised Susan Haywood how to dress while she carried her twin boys. Elegance should never take second place to comfort. She listened to me and looked beautiful during her entire pregnancy."

"Hello Miss Celine, how are you?"

"Lovely my dear, but who is this rugged and handsome man you have with you? Why it's Burt Lancaster. Emily, doesn't he look like Burt Lancaster? Oh Burt was such a charismatic and seductive creature but always a man's man." Rubbing her hand over Luke's shoulder and arm she asks, "Do you walk on your hands?"

"Ah, no." Luke is totally confused and a bit intimidated by Miss Celine.

Lorelai smiles at Luke as she introduces him. "Miss Celine, this is Luke Danes."

"My goodness Burt, with such an athletic build, you must have difficulty with ready made clothes. Look at these brawny arms; you should have all of your clothes tailored to fit to show the world your attributes. Now, I need you to head into the dressing room so that Mr. Frowick can take your measurements. Hurry, hurry!"

With one last pleading look towards Lorelai, Luke heads into the dressing area.

This is the first time Luke has ever been upstairs at the Gilmore house. It looks very much as he always imagined except for the master bedroom closet. He never considered anyone could possible need this much closet space. The amount of clothing that Richard and Emily have rivals that of a small boutique. He had always thought Lorelai had a lot of clothes. She obviously is an amateur compared to her mother.

Inside the dressing area, he finds Richard standing on a raised box dressed only in his boxers, undershirt, and socks with a strange man measuring his calves. "Ah Luke, there you are. Take off your clothes so that Frowick can measure you."

Hating this and swearing to himself, Luke begins to undress. Thankfully, he had not let Lorelai talk him into wearing those obnoxious satin boxers that she bought him decorated with baseballs that have "Kiss My Balls" written on them. That would have totally humiliated him.

* * *

Luckily for Rory, her hours at the paper are a little more stable now since most of the vacationers have returned. This allows her time to help her grandmother with the wedding. 

Sunday Rory is scheduled to begin work at 6:00 PM so she spends from just after noon until it is time to leave for work at her grandparents. Sookie brought samples of all of the dishes she intends to serve at the wedding buffet and Rory joins her grandparents in testing each an every one until she's stuffed.

Emily approves of the entire menu.

Miss Celine arranges for a fashion show of sorts for the selection of the wedding dress. Somehow she located models that appear to be physically identical to Lorelai, though Rory suspects that they are using a little padding around the middle and the bust. The models are even wearing wigs that look like Lorelai's hair.

Emily, Rory, and Sookie finally agree on a beautiful ivory ruche organza empire strapless gown with whimsical layers of silk organza caught with satin Hibiscus, bias ribbon twists, satin leaves, and crystal highlights. The draping of the layers of silk organza will hide any indication of the pregnancy while still accentuating Lorelai's tall slim figure. Emily selects Jimmy Choos ivory bridal sandals to go with the dress.

They next select bridesmaid dresses for both Rory and Sookie. The styles are different but complimentary. Both dresses will be made in the same silvery blue organza with silver accents. Celine assures Emily that the dresses will be ready for a final fitting no later than Thursday.

Finally they select the tuxedoes for Luke and his attendants. They pick a tone on tone black two button notch tuxedo with a vest and tie made out of a silvery blue silk that coordinated with the attendants' dresses. Emily insists on pointed collar white silk shirts and Rory agrees though she personally likes the pleated shirts better.

It took a bit of maneuvering on Rory's part to get Luke to reveal who he intended to ask to be his groomsmen without him becoming suspicious. Jess was a given but the second groomsman ended up being a surprise. Luke had finally admitted that he probably would have asked Jackson.

They have one more attendant issue that requires attention, April. Of course April must come to the ceremony but it's a tricky situation. Rory knows enough about Anna that she really doesn't want to let her in on the secret but somehow they need to get her permission so that April can attend. Rory tells her grandmother that she will handle this but to be honest, she is not sure what she should do.

After leaving her grandmother's house, Rory realizes she needs to consult with an expert in parental subterfuge to deal with the April situation. Luckily she knows an expert. Rory calls Lane and they agree to meet tomorrow morning to discuss plans.

* * *

Rory brings Lane up to date on the status of the wedding outfits and then begins to fill her in on the April problem. Lane has never officially met Anna but she sees her often when Anna comes to drop off or pick up April. She had thought Anna seemed nice but after hearing the story of the plan to relocate April to California Lane definitely changed her opinion. 

Lane asks, "So your problem is how to get Anna to agree to let April come to the wedding and the reception but not let her know that's it a wedding, right? Why don't you want to tell her about the wedding?"

Rory admits, "Given her past attitude towards my mother, I suspect that she would love to spoil it. I don't want to get her that chance."

Lane reminds her, "But you have to tell April. I mean she has to try on her dress and get it fitted. You can't just drag her out right before the ceremony."

Rory agrees, "You're right. I am planning to explain everything to her on Wednesday; she's coming over for a movie night. I think she'll keep the secret. She's a pretty cool kid and I think she likes Mom and Luke together."

"So what are you going to tell Anna?"

"I don't know. I thought about saying it's a going away party and we really want April to come."

Lane frowns, "Why a going away party?"

Rory shrugs, "I don't know. I couldn't think of anything else. I thought Anna might be okay with letting April go to a going away party. I think she wants us all to go away."

Continuing to frown, Lane responds, "So who is going away? You know she'll want to know."

"I haven't gotten that far."

"Rory, that's not going to work."

"I know. I'm pathetic at subterfuge. Help!"

Lane concentrates for a few minutes then suddenly she sucks in a big gulp of air and smiles, "I've got it. I think this will work. You tell her that the town is throwing Luke and Lorelai a surprise engagement party and we all want April to come."

Rory looks unconvinced. "How is telling her about a surprise engagement party that much different from a surprise wedding? Anna still can 'accidentally' on purpose spill the secret to Luke."

Shaking her head Lane responds, "But there is no party so Anna's not spilling anything."

"Lane, but if she tells Luke about the 'surprise' party, he'll try to stop it."

"Rory, what does it matter? There is no party to stop, so he can't do anything."

Still perplexed Rory continues, "But if Anna tells Luke, then Luke will try to stop it and he'll tell Mom who will get upset and she'll try to stop it."

"Rory, Rory but they can't stop something that's not going to happen. Besides, I'm not so sure that Luke will try to stop it. First of all, he knows that there is no stopping this town when it wants to throw a party. He might rant and threaten, but actually, what can he do? Secondly, I'm not so sure that he will tell your mom. Perhaps, he will just pretend that he knows nothing about the party figuring that an engagement party might nudge Lorelai into actually setting a wedding date. She may get upset at the town for pushing her but if he pretends that he knew nothing about it she can't get upset at him."

Still skeptical, Rory asks, "What if he does tell Mom and they decide to skip out before the party?"

"Don't worry Rory, Operation CB will be well underway and they will be thoroughly entrapped before they can leave."

"Operation CB?"

"Kirk thought that we needed a covert name so he came up with Operation Connubial Bliss or as we now call it, Operation CB."

"I didn't think that Kirk even knew the word connubial."

"He bought a Thesaurus."

"Oh." Rory thinks for a moment and then reminds Lane, "Okay, what if I ask Anna to let April come to the surprise engagement party but she says no."

"Okay, that's where you will have to be very clever. You must ask Anna's permission when it appears that April is out of the room. I don't know a lot about Anna but I know that she does not like to discuss plans for April in front of April. April complains that her mother plans things all of the time without consulting her and it pisses her off."

Rory nods her head as though she understands though not really, "So I have to talk with Anna when April is not around?"

"No, you have to ask her when it _appears_ that April is not around but make certain that April is actually within ear shot. That way if Anna tries to decline, April can put the heat on her. I don't think that Anna will want April to know that she refusing to allow her to go her father's engagement party."

"That means April will have to know that I'm going to ask her mom before I ask it. That kind of screws up with my time line. I got Luke to agree to let me pick up April on my way home from work on Wednesday and bring her to movie night just so that I could talk with her in private. Now I need to find another time to tell April before Wednesday."

"Can't you just email her?"

Disgusted Rory answers, "No. According to April, her mother monitors and reads all of her emails."

Surprised, Lane responds, "No way, Anna is the Caucasian Mrs. Kim?" Lane is silent for a moment and then suddenly a thought hits her, "You know what? April's coming to the diner tonight. I can tell her for you, if you want me to?"

(tbc)

* * *

**A/N** -_ Sorry that it has been a while since I updated. Real Life interferred with my creative muse. Things are back to normal and I should be back on schedule.   
_


	23. Chapter 23 Operation CB Begins

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 23 -Operation Connubial Bliss Begins**

It's Monday afternoon and Lane is a nervous wreck waiting for an opportunity to speak with April. The diner is extraordinarily busy and Lane finds no chance to talk with her alone. Lorelai shows up to eat with Luke and April about 5:30 as usual and she ends up staying the rest of the evening which further adds to Lane's dilemma.

By 7:00 PM, Lane is frantically trying to come up with a reason to pull April aside. She is wracking her brain for any excuse to talk privately with her but she can't think of anything. Finally, when it is almost time for Anna to pick April up, an opportunity presents itself.

Lane is watching Lorelai and April play cards while Luke is back in the kitchen yelling at Caesar over something. When Lorelai excuses herself to use the restroom, Lane finally has a few minutes alone with April.

She quickly explains about the surprise wedding and thankfully, April is smart enough to catch on to the scheme quickly. Lane's explanation is sort of convoluted. April understands the plot and it is she who first suggests that they not tell her mom.

In the time remaining before either Luke or Lorelai reappeared, Lane is able to lay out the story that Rory will give to Anna. April listens and gives it her nod of approval just before Lorelai returns. After that, April can't seem to keep from staring at Lorelai for the rest of the evening.

Lane watches as April leaves and thinks, "Wow that kid needs to work on her poker face. She never stopped grinning at Lorelai like a Cheshire cat."

* * *

The next morning Rory receives an email from April that first conveys her excitement about Saturday and secondly, confirms the details of the scheme. This concerns Rory since April specifically stated that Anna monitors both incoming and outgoing emails until she realizes that April had sent the email from a different address. Reading further down in message, April explains that she sometimes uses her best friend's computer to send and receive the more personal emails and that Rory should use this address to communicate any information about the wedding. "Way to go, kid', thinks Rory as a wave of nostalgia swept over her as she remembers the days of circumventing Mrs. Kim's strict rules. 

Rory is amazed how smooth all of the wedding preparations are going. She doesn't want to begin to calculate the amount of money her grandparents are lavishing on this celebration. Obviously, if one is willing to spend unlimited funds, anything can be accomplished.

First of all, her grandmother rented Miss Patty's studio for the entire week and made her cancel all of her classes. The studio is now command central for Operation CB. Telephone and cable lines were secretly (well secret from Lorelai and Luke) installed and computers brought in to help manage the information flow. .

Cecily and Gregory moved their operations into Miss Patty's to monitor all the progress. They, along with professional florist, have been supervising the town volunteers in the creation of the floral blankets and strings of flowers that will be used to decorate the wedding area. Silver vases have been filled with flowers and candles to be used as the table arrangements for the dinner.

An additional power line was run to the studio, along with a backup generator, to support the seven refrigerators brought in to keep the multitude of white roses, white lilies, white Lisianthus, nearly white delphinium, Million Stars gypsophila (baby's breath), and snowy peonies fresh. (Jackson is storing the orchids in his green house,) Bolts of white and silver tulle line the walls awaiting transformation into bows and wreaths and will be draped around the garden.

Emily hired Tom to build walls of archways to line the sides of the garden. These archways will be covered in blankets of tulle and flowers, lit with stings of twinkle lights and adorned with snowflakes of crystal and silver. They also built new half walls to bank each side of the chuppa, giving it a more opulent appearance (because Emily thought it too small by itself). The chuppa and walls also will be blanketed with tulle, roses and twinkle light.

The platforms that Tom's men originally built have been increased in number. They are modular in design and will tie together to form a solid floor for the ceremony/reception area. They're scheduled to be installed early Friday morning (before 8:00 AM) so that a team of carpet layers can cover them in plush white carpeting. An area will be left uncarpeted on which a large solid piece of frosted Plexiglas will be laid to represent a frozen pond. The wedding party will stand on the pond during the nuptials and it will be the dance floor during the reception.

The food for the reception has been delivered and is currently being stored in a refrigerated truck that Emily hired. Additional chefs and waiters have been employed to supplement the Dragonfly staff. Food preparation will begin on Friday morning.

In fact all of the preparations will begin early Friday morning except for the cakes. Sookie has begun those already. With the entire staff at the Dragonfly in major prep mode, obviously they can't possibly service any guest. So Michele contacted all the people with reservations and persuaded them to either rebook for another weekend (with Emily paying for the new reservation) or relocate to another Inn this weekend (again with Emily paying).

Of course, none of the preparations can begin with Lorelai around. They needed a plan to keep her away from Dragonfly Inn. No one, including Sookie could come up with a scenario that would keep Lorelai away from the Dragonfly all day Friday. It was left up to Emily to arrange a pretense and of course, she pulled out her book on daughter manipulation 1.01 and came up with a plan.

* * *

Keeping Luke ignorant of the activities in Miss Patty's studio was a prime concern also. Luke's unobstructed view of the entrance to the studio is the problem. They all know that he will undoubtedly notice a sudden influx of adults coming and going all day. Knowing Luke, it's not a stretch to expect him to become curious enough to check it out. 

To prevent this, the Townies came up with a plan to keep Luke distracted. Kirk is assigned the leadership of this task since he spends so much time in the diner already.

Kirk's plan is simply to keep Luke so busy that he has no time to notice anything. Kirk devises a schedule that all but eliminates any of the normal lulls during the day and keeps the diner steadily busy. People from the town who rarely eat at Luke's are suddenly coming in daily and ordering full meals.

The system is working most successfully with very few glitches. Whenever they do occur, Lane and Caesar are continually there to assist. They can always be counted on to produce some sort of minor emergency to distract Luke whenever the need arises.

The plan has been working well. Luke hasn't appeared to notice anything out of the ordinary so far except that the diner is having an unusually profitable week.

* * *

Emily's plan to keep Lorelai away on Friday requires the participation of Richard, Rory, and the ladies from the DAR. Luckily Lorelai knows almost nothing about the workings of the DAR. 

Emily fabricated a story where she is to receive the Director's award from the National Council of the DAR. The award is to be presented to her on Friday in New York at a luncheon at the Hotel Plaza Athenee.

In reality there is no such award. Emily simply contacted a few (50 or 60) of her DAR friends in both the Hartford and the New York districts and solicited their help with her scheme. Last Friday night during dinner, she set her plan into motion. Emily announces during the salad that she is about to receive the DAR Director's Award.

Rory on cue responds with enthusiasm to congratulate Emily on such an honor."Grandma, that so cool, that's like the being selected to get the Academy Award in the DAR. Has anyone in the Hartford chapter or even in the Tri-County district ever received this award?" Rory asks according to the plan.

Emily responds, "Actually, no. This is quite an honor to be selected and recognized by the National organization. They are presenting the award to me at a luncheon in my honor in New York next Friday. I believe C-Span will be covering the event"

"Mom, that is really impressive! Congratulations."

"Thank you, Lorelai." Turning towards Richard, she adds, "Richard, I will contact your secretary to have her put this on your calendar."

Richard asks, "Oh, you want me to go?"

"Of course, the family of the recipient is invited. Naturally, I want you to be with me to share in this recognition."

Richard contemplates for a moment before he responds, "Next Friday? That's a problem; I have to be in Düsseldorf next Friday, could you possibly reschedule this luncheon?"

Emily's expressions were perfect. First she looks shocked; followed by frustration, then exasperation. "No Richard, it can't be rescheduled but never mind. I'm sure no one will notice that none of my family cares enough to attend." Then Emily's entire demeanor changes to one of pain and resignation.

Both Rory and Lorelai see the pain and betrayal that Emily feels and sympathizes. Even Luke feels sorry for her but has no idea what he can do. Richard appears to be oblivious to Emily's reaction to his bitter betrayal.

Rory with her forever soft heart, immediately responds, "Grandma, maybe I can get off on Friday to go with you. Oh, I know, I'll call in sick."

Still appearing to be sad but unwilling to allow her granddaughter to resort to such a fabrication, Emily rejects her help with "No Rory, I cannot allow you to do such a thing. Do not risk your professional reputation for me. I'm sure no one will notice that none of my family came with me."

Lorelai, long familiar with her mother's passive form of manipulation, knows exactly what Emily is attempting to do. She is using guilt to try to get her way. After 40 years, Richard is oblivious to the affects but unfortunately, it still moves Lorelai. Before she realizes what she's doing, Lorelai hears herself say, "Mom, I can go with you on Friday if you like."

Emily responds with almost childlike glee, "Oh Lorelai that will be wonderful! We can make a day of it. We'll leave early so we can arrive just as the stores are opening so we can do some shopping. The luncheon isn't until 1:00 PM. Afterwards, we can get a room so you can rest in the afternoon and then we can eat dinner in New York. With Richard in Düsseldorf and Rory working that evening, it would be silly to rush back here for Friday night dinner.

Lorelai suddenly feels queasy and it has nothing to do with the pregnancy. Somehow the luncheon with her mother has now turned into a full day event. She not exactly sure how that happened but also isn't really surprised that it did. This whole thing reeks of classic Emily.

Luke smiles at her and squeezes her hand under the table. He understands what a sacrifice she just made considering that she inadvertently volunteered to spend the day with her mother and the DAR.

Rory smiles sweetly too, but behind the smile she has reached a new level of understanding. Lorelai always spoke of her mother as the great manipulator but Rory had never been privilege to the full extent of her grandmother's duplicitous mind. When Emily had revealed the details of her plan to get Lorelai to agree to spend the day with her, Rory had been a bit weary that her mother would succumb to such an obvious ploy. Yet, even knowing exactly what Emily was doing, Rory watches her mother fall into the trap and feels herself compelled to join her. Oh, Emily is better at this that Rory ever appreciated and made a mental note to herself to be more wary around her grandmother in the future.

* * *

"Okay, here I go." thinks Rory as she gets out of her car in front of Anna's boutique. She is picking up April for the movie night and, of course, to ask Anna to give her permission for April to come Saturday. 

It's Wednesday afternoon as Rory walks in to Anna's boutique. She spots Anna with a customer immediately but it takes her a little longer before she spies April in the back sneaking around the corner waving at her. After checking to see if Anna is looking, Rory waves back and motions for her to hide.

Rory is admiring some bags on display when Anna walks up to her, "These are great bags, aren't they? So retro."

"Oh yeah, I really like them. Uh hi, I'm Rory Gilmore, Lorelai's daughter. I'm here to pick up April."

Looking Rory over, Anna replies, "Oh, I see the resemblance now. You do look a lot like your mother. Look, April's in the back finishing up. I'll just go get her."

"Wait a moment, please. May I ask you something before April comes out?"

"Sure." Anna responds a bit defensively.

"I don't know how familiar you are with Stars Hollow but it's a bit obsessed with town festivals and community activities. Anyway, they have decided to throw my mom and Luke a surprise party this Saturday evening, sort of an engagement party. We would like to know if you will allow April to attend."

"Oh, I don't know. What time?"

"Well, the party itself will begin around 6:00 PM and it should be really fun. It's going to be pure PG with practically everyone in town bringing the whole family, kids and all. My mom's best friend, Sookie St. James, she's the chef at the Dragonfly Inn, is in charge of the food, so it will be wonderful. And there'll be music and dancing."

"Will there be any alcohol?"

"Yes but the distribution and consumption is always strictly monitored by our towns' selectman, Taylor Doose. Do you happen to know Taylor?"

"Yeah, I remember Taylor. As I recall he is sort of control freak."

"That's our Taylor, the poster child for the anal personality disorder. He doesn't allow any shenanigans at these town function so you can be confident that April will be safe. Besides, Luke will be watching out for her."

"What time will it be over?"

"Around ten."

"That's kind of late."

"I know but, if it is alright with you, April can spend the night at our house and I'll make sure that she gets back anytime you want on Sunday."

Still dubious of the idea, Anna responds, "I don't know if she will want to go. April doesn't really know the people in the town that well so she might not enjoy it."

"Well, she can bring a friend along if that will make you feel any better, and they both can spend the night."

April had already asked Rory if she could invite her best friend, Ashley which of course is okay. In fact, April and Ashley have already talked with Ashley's mom, who is pretty cool, by the way, and the whole thing is already approved. Ashley's mom is just waiting for Anna's call and knows exactly what to say to keep up the pretense.

"Well, it's really up to April."

On cue, April walks in saying, "What's up to me?"

"Oh honey, you have been invited to a party for Luke and Lorelai this Saturday evening. Some friends in their town are throwing it."

Turning to Rory, "Really? And they want me to come?"

Rory responds, "Of course, you're Luke's daughter. It's sort of a surprise engagement party and we all know that it will make Luke really happy to have you there. You can invite a friend to come with you and both of you can spend the night."

"Please Mom?"

Sighing, Anna agrees but only if Ashley is able to go also. She cautions April not to get too excited because Ashley's mom might not agree. She adds, "I want you and Ashley to stay together at all times and stay with Luke. Don't go running off by yourselves."

Anna turns back to Rory, "What time do you want the girls there?"

"Actually, any time that's convenient, the earlier the better. If you want, I can pick them up so you don't have to bother. In fact, if the girls want to, they can spend the whole day in Stars Hollow. We need all the help we can get to keep Luke occupied that day so he doesn't find out about the surprise."

Anna smiles slyly, "If I know Luke, he won't like a party, especially a surprise party. Are you sure that he will even go?"

Rory smiles back, "Oh, he'll go. My mom loves surprises and she loves parties. If Mom wants to go, Luke will go with her. He'll complain and we probably will have to listen to a couple of rants about the crazy town and loony citizens but he'll go."

After April and Rory leave, Anna thinks to herself that maybe having Luke around April is not such a bad thing after all. Anna had been planning to check if April could spend the night with Ashley anyway. She has a date for Saturday night and as per her long standing policy, April never meets her dates or if possible, doesn't even know they exist.

Besides, letting April attend this party might help ease the tension between her and Luke. He refuses to talk with her unless absolutely necessary and then he's so cold and business like.

Luke had evidently contacted his attorney after he discovered her little plan to move to California because his attorney wrote to her attorney and things got kind of ugly. Her attorney had called Anna in for a chat.

Basically her attorney had read her the riot act over her plans to move to California. That her attempt to circumvent the custody agreement along with her initial stance of not telling Luke about April in the first place will not set well with the judges. In fact, she risks loosing custody of April if Luke chooses to pursue the case.

That scared Anna. She never though the consequences would be that bad. She figured once she was out of Connecticut, they couldn't do anything against her. Apparently she was wrong. According to her attorney, California might have put her in jail for her little stunt.

Basically, her attorney had warned her to "play nice" with Luke and try not to antagonize him.

* * *

Lorelai is snuggling up against Luke's chest as they are both falling to sleep in the afterglow of post-coital bliss. Well Luke is but Lorelai is still awake and thinking. 

"Luke? Luke, did you think April was acting kind of different tonight."

Luke responds with unintelligent mumbling.

"Lu-u-uke."

Startled back to full consciousness, Luke answers, "Wha…what? Are you all right?"

Rolling over to her side of the bed, Lorelai apologizes, "I'm sorry, you were asleep. It's nothing. Go back to sleep."

Scooting closer to her, Luke nuzzles her ear as he asks, "What'd you say about April?"

"I just thought that she was acting a little weird tonight. She kept staring at me and smiling. I think she knows."

"Knows what?"

"About the babies."

Luke places his hand protectively over the gentle rise of her stomach and says, "You always think everyone knows. You're just being paranoid."

"They do all know."

Smiling, Luke asks, "And you know this how?"

"It's the way they act around at me, I don't know, kind of like they're humoring me or something. Even you've commented that there is something weird going on in the town."

"Everyone in this town always acts weird, that doesn't mean that they know you're pregnant. Anyway, what does it matter, they'll know soon enough." Lightly rubbing her belly, he adds "These two aren't getting any smaller." Thinking for a moment, he adds, "You know, we really should tell April soon."

"I told you that she already knows."

Luke rises up on his elbow, "Then talking with her about it isn't a problem."

Lorelai sits up and stares at him, "Of course it's a problem. Once we open up that discussion, she's going to ask a lot questions and we have to know how to answer them."

"We answer them truthfully. You want me to tell her alone? After all she is my daughter."

With a voice sounding slightly hurt, Lorelai asks, "You don't want me there?"

Luke sits up and turns Lorelai so he can look her in the eye, "Of course, I want you there but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. April's my daughter and my responsibility. You've already told your daughter." Luke thinks for a moment before he adds, "I don't know exactly what we should say to her but I guess we'll just say that we're going to have twins and they are due on January 16."

"Uh-huh, and then when she asks about us getting married?"

"I don't know, maybe she won't ask. It is kind of personal and we don't talk about personal stuff much."

"Luke, everyone is going to ask that. April's going to ask. Maybe not right away but eventually and you know Anna will ask."

"Anna better not ask. She just better keep her nose out of our business."

Startled by the amount of bitterness in the tone of Luke's response, Lorelai reacts, "Whoa that was a little caustic!"

Luke lays back down before he replies, "Sorry, I guess I'm just tired of worrying about Anna's reactions to everything and her constant presence in our lives. I try not to interfere in her daily life, I expect her to offer me the same courtesy."

"What if Anna uses this against you? Try's to raise the issue that you or at the least I shouldn't be around April?"

Luke looks up into Lorelai's eyes, "Look, that won't happen. I won't let it happen, okay?"

"But it would be simpler for you if we were married."

Luke is quiet for a moment and then responds, "What do you want me to say, Lorelai? Do you expect me to push you to get married because of Anna? I'm not going to do that. You said your not ready and I'm not going to try to force you into something your not ready for just to placate Anna or anyone one else. It's none of their damn business."

"But it would make your life easier, right?"

"I don't know how to answer that. I don't know, maybe. At least we wouldn't be having this conversation, so yeah it would be easier."

"And we wouldn't have had that wonderful evening with my parents."

Sighing, Luke responds, "So then they would have found something else to get upset about. It's inevitable."

"And you'd be happier."

"No."

"You don't want to get married anymore?"

Pulling Lorelai back down on the bed, Luke cradles her in the crook of his arm. "I didn't say that. You asked if I'd be happier and I said no because I am happy. I have what I want, I've got the woman that I love in my arms and she's carrying my babies." Pausing, he adds, "Of course I would be a little happier if you would finally decide on the layout of the new addition and we could get started, oh you know, before you give birth but otherwise, I'm good."

"But you still want to get married, don't you?"

"Yes, but it's not that important."

"You don't think marrying me is important?"

"Ah jeez Lorelai, that's not what I meant." Luke rolls his eyes as he mumbles, "I knew this conversation was filled with land mines but I plowed ahead anyway." Sighing before he continues, "What I mean is I don't need a bureaucratic ceremony to formulize my commitment to you. I don't need to repeat some ritualistic pledge in front of a bunch of yahoos. I only need you. If I haven't made it clear enough, then let me try again. I'm in all in, 100 percent committed. All that I have is yours. I will do anything for you. I love you and I only want to be able to share the rest of my life with you and our kids. If that means that we never get officially married, I can live with that."

"But you still want to get married?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know, because it's the customary thing to do when you find the woman that you want to spend the rest of your life with."

"So you just want to get married because it the customary thing to do."

Frustrated with the direction this conversation is going, Luke is loosing patience. "No, that's not what I mean. Jeez Lorelai, what do you want to hear me say?"

"I want to know why you're so sure that you want to marry me. What makes you think we can make it work? You couldn't make it work with Nicole."

"Nicole and I never had a marriage. We had a stupid ceremony on a drunken whim. The same type of stupid alcoholic judgment that makes a teenage boy believes that it's a good idea to set fire to his farts."

"You set fire to your farts?"

"I never said that. I've seen those stupid coming of age teen films."

Lorelai turns to look directly in his eyes and asks, "You tried to make it work with Nicole but it didn't. What makes you think we can make it?"

"I never loved Nicole. I liked her, we had a good time together, I guess I thought that's as good as it gets but I was wrong. Your face is the one I want to see each night before I go to sleep and each morning when I wake up. I look forward to seeing you everyday. I need you in my life and I never felt like I ever needed anyone before. I hope that you feel the same."

Lorelai takes her hand and gently caresses the stubble on his check. "You know I do."

Luke leans over and gently kisses her on the lips. Lorelai pulls back and smiles before she leans in for more passionate kiss. Luke rolls her up on top of him as he deepens the kiss. Lorelai s hands are roaming across his bare shoulders, scraping her nails across his flesh and sending shivers down his spine.

As he moves his lips to trail gentle kisses across her chin, he reaches that spot on her neck just below her ear. Lorelai gently moans and Luke tightly wraps his arms around her body pulling her even closer. Her tongue begins to trace the edge of his ear as his hands move to cup the curve of her ass.

As Luke's hands caress her back, Lorelai softly whispers in his ear, "Marry me."

Luke freezes in mid-caress and asks, "What did you say?"

"I said marry me."

Luke rolls them both on their sides and pulls back to look in Lorelai's eyes "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Luke smiles and says, "You picked a hell of a time to tell me." Then with a more serious face and tone, "What made you change your mind?"

"You, us, and then something Rory said the other day brought everything into focus."

"What did she say?"

"She pointed out that we are already living like we are married."

A big cheesy grin spreads across Luke's face. Lorelai notices this grin and hits him in his chest as she says, "You planned this, didn't you?"

"Planned what?"

"You figured if you moved in and we lived like we were married, I'd come around to the idea."

"Not exactly planned, I just hoped that it would help rebuild your trust, that's all. I wasn't trying to manipulate you. Besides, I want to be here."

Luke leans in for a kiss but as Lorelai seeks to deepen it, he pulls back. He then sits up, slaps her on her fanny and gets out of bed Luke grabs the phone book and begins looking something up.

Confused and a little disappointed, Lorelai sits up and asks, "Hey, where'd you go?"

He grins at her as he says, "You just agreed to marry me. I'm not taking any chances, I want to see if there's a 24 hour wedding chapel in the area."

Lorelai throws a pillow at him as she laughs. "This is Stars Hollow, not Vegas." Looking at the clock, "It's 11:37 PM. We can't get married at 11:37 at night in Connecticut."

Dropping the phone book, Luke lies back down next to Lorelai and wraps his arms around her. "Okay, but first thing in the morning we're going to the courthouse."

"What if I want a big fancy wedding?"

"Too bad! You can plan one of those fancy vow renewal ceremonies for our one year anniversary. We'll do the formal attire thing then and you can even have your silly carousal. We'll take a picture on it with each of us holding one of the babies as they barf all over our fancy wedding clothes. It'll be fun."

Lorelai looks into his eyes, "So tomorrow morning, we get married."

Using his seductive voice, "Yeah, first thing, but that's over eight hours away. Whatever will we do to pass the time?"

Moving her body closer to his, Lorelai replies, "I have an idea."

(tbc)


	24. Chapter 24 Wedding Day Part I

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**

* * *

Chapter 24 –Wedding Day Part I**

Thursday morning Lorelai wakes before Luke, which is highly unusual. But today is highly unusual, today she will become Mrs. Luke Danes. "Eww, that is _so_ 50'ish." she thinks, "I don't think I want to be called that, maybe Mrs. Lorelai Danes or Mrs. Lorelai Gilmore-Danes or Ms. Lorelai Gilmore-Danes. Yeah, I like that better or maybe just plain Lorelai Gilmore-Danes."

Quietly getting up, Lorelai heads for the bathroom and tries not to disturb Luke. It's not even 6:30 in the morning and he is still asleep. There were no early deliveries this morning and Caesar opened the diner.

And after all, this is their wedding day.

When Lorelai returns, she slips carefully back into bed so not to wake Luke. He has rolled over on his side so that now she can see his face. She loves looking at his face while he's sleeping. As she stares at his strong, whisker-stubble jaw and his full, soft lips, it takes all of her resistance to keep from kissing him awake. Of course if she wakes him up then she can gaze into his clear blue eyes framed by those luscious lashes.

It's so unfair that he has such long thick lashes. She spends a fortune on mascara and her lashes never look as good as his. She even loves those tiny laugh lines next to his eyes. Why do lines give a man's face character and make a woman's face look old and tired?

Suddenly in a raspy voice, Luke blurts out "Stop that!" Then his eyes flutter open. "You're staring at me. I can feel it."

"But you're so pretty to look at."

"I am not pretty."

"Yes you are. You are too pretty, in a totally rugged and masculine way."

"And you're crazy." He leans over to give her a morning kiss. With a twinkle in his eyes, Luke asks "So what wakes you up so early?"

"Oh, I've got a busy day today."

"Oh yeah? Doing anything special?"

"I am thinking of maybe finally tackling my sock drawer today. You know, arrange it by season and color. Then maybe I'll organize my thread box and all my patterns. If I really feel energetic, I'll venture on to consolidate all my scrap fabric to see if I can finally make that quilt."

"Well, that should keep you busy for the day."

Now with a twinkle in her eyes, Lorelai adds, "Oh, I was also thinking about getting married this morning."

With a straight face, Luke asks, "To anyone I know?"

"Uh, I haven't decided. I just thought that I might find someone on the way to the court house. You know, from one of those corners where you can pick up day laborers?"

Luke affectionately slaps her knee before he gets up and remarks, "Well, as long as you have a plan."

Luke heads into the bathroom and starts the shower. He comes out again to get his clothes and heads back to take his shower. He is just about to step in when an arm reaches out from behind the shower curtain and drags him inside.

Surprised but pleased, Luke comments, "Whoa, I didn't know we were showering in tandem today."

"Hey Mister, this is your last is your last chance to have any illicit sex. After this it's all legitimate and sanctioned."

Raising his eyebrows, Luke smiles teasingly, "Only when I'm with you."

With mock petulance, Lorelai pushes him out of the way and attempts to exit the shower. Luke grabs her quickly and pulls her to him for deep and sensuous kiss.

"So where do you think you're going?" he asks as his breathe dances across her ear.

"To find someone that appreciates me."

With a deep and husky tone, Luke replies, "I appreciate you, all of you." Kissing her lips, he adds, "I appreciate your lips..." Moving to kiss her ear, "…and your ear, and your neck, and your shoulder…" Using both his hands and mouth, Luke begins to pay homage to the various parts that he appreciates.

Lorelai joins in the game. She begins to kiss and run her fingers lightly over the parts of his body that she most admires. "I appreciate you neck, oh, and your shoulder, and your, oh yes, ah, your back…" As Luke caresses her breasts, her breathe begins hitch, "God, that feels good!"

As their passion heats up, Luke suddenly shuts off the water. He moves his hands under Lorelai's butt and lifts her up so she can wrap her legs around his waist. As he carries her out of the shower, Lorelai exclaims, "Ooh, you're such a caveman!"

Luke growls back, "Too dangerous, you and the babies are too important to me to risk it. Besides, I don't want the headlines in the Stars Hollow Gazette tomorrow to read 'Horrendous Shower Accident' followed by a picture of you and me sprawled naked on the shower floor."

On the way to the bed, Luke accidentally steps on a hair from Paul Anka's tail causing the pooch to let out with a yelp and scurry away. Startled, Luke looses his balance and begins to fall. Luckily he is successful in his attempt to steer their landing onto the bed.

Lorelai begins laughing hysterically while Luke is at first concern that she's okay before he too, catches her hysteria. As their laughter subsides, Lorelai cracks, "Was my big strong caveman brought down by the hair of a dog?"

Leaning over to kiss her lightly, Luke rebuffs Lorelai's teasing with, "Don't mock, I _could_ make a comment about your weight!"

"Ah-h-h, you wouldn't dare!"

Luke raises his eyebrows as he gives Lorelai the "Oh, wouldn't I" look.

"You would dare to insinuate that I am fat, the mother of unborn twins?"

Pulling her up towards the head of the bed, Luke responds, "I never said you are fat. In fact, I think you're just right, but…" He begins to place tiny kisses on her waist, alternating between her right side and her left, each time moving closer and closer to her belly button. In between his kisses, he speaks, "…you have (kiss) to admit (kiss) that you (kiss) have put (kiss) on some (kiss) pounds (kiss) along here (kiss)." Then he begins to trail kisses up in a line from her bellybutton to just between her breasts. Caressing her left breast gently in his hand, he adds, "And you have definitely added weight here." Taking her into his mouth, he begins to suck and tease until the nipple is hard and erect. "This one is definitely fuller and more luscious." Moving to caress and suck on her right breast, he adds, "And so is this one. They're both absolutely voluptuous."

Lorelai pushes him over to lie on his back and tells him, "I guess I better check to see if you have anything that might have become fatter." She begins to trace her tongue over his nipples until they are as hard as hers. Then she trails kisses down the center of his chest until she reaches his bellybutton. "Nothing here seems to be any bigger." Continuing down his abdomen with tiny kisses until she reaches his cock, "Ah-hah," she exclaims, "it seems that Ernie has grown." Taking him into her mouth, she uses her tongue and teeth to tease him while her fingers massage and caress his balls.

Luke begins to run his of his left hand through her hair as the other slides down her back to massage the checks of her ass. Then slowly he moves his hand between her legs. As the fire within both of them heats up, his fingers enter her.

After a few minutes of mutual pleasure, Lorelai lifts her head and grins at Luke. She rises up and moves to straddle Luke. Taking him in her hands, she slowly guides him into her.

"Am I too heavy for you?" she asks with a glint in her eyes.

"God, no!" Luke growls back as his hands roam over her body and his hips begin thrusting to the rhythm that she set.

With hips gyrating to the primordial pulse, heat builds in both. Hands roam freely over each of their bodies, stimulating and caressing. Passion builds within both of them until almost simultaneous they reached their peaks and collapse into each other's arms in pleasurable exhaustion.

* * *

Rory arrives Thursday morning at the paper shortly before 6:00 AM. Since Sunday she has been working extra hours each day so that she can take tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday off. 

Lorelai is under the impression that Rory is scheduled to work at the paper all day tomorrow which is why she allowed herself to be conned into accompanying Emily to the DAR ceremony in New York. In reality, Rory will be working tomorrow but it will have nothing to do with the paper. She will be supervising wedding preparations.

The first step in the preparations will begin this evening. It is Michele and Sookie's job to make certain that Lorelai leaves the Inn no later than 6:00 PM. Around 6:30 PM, a crew is arriving to set up a huge tent to encompass the entire wedding/reception area. The tent is just temporary to protect the wedding decorations and is scheduled to be removed Saturday afternoon prior to the service. Air conditioning units and fans have been rented along with work lights and misting machines which will be installed within the tent to create the optimum environment to keep the decorations fresh for the service.

Rory's day tomorrow will begin at sunrise (around 5:30 AM) when Tom's crew will begin installing of the deck. The deck should be in place by 7:30 AM at which time that crew will begin positioning the archways. Another crew is due to arrive by 8:00 AM to begin installing the carpet and the Plexiglas. Also at 8:00 AM, the special effects team is scheduled to start sprinkling the area with the artificial snow.

All of these tasks must be completed no later than 4:00 PM when the first wave of townies is scheduled to begin decorating. Various teams will be working in shifts all night to complete that task.

Emily will take over the supervision at the Dragonfly on Saturday morning around 7:00 AM to finish overseeing the decorating. Hopefully all will be to her satisfaction before 10:00 when she has scheduled the first rehearsal of the servers. She wants everything perfect by 2:00 PM so she can leave to prepare for the wedding.

No, it's not tomorrow that worries Rory. She knows she can handle whatever crisis comes up during the preparations. It's Saturday, the day that she has to reveal the plans to Lorelai, which is beginning to scare the crap out of her.Throughout this whole process, Rory kept assuring everyone that she will be able to deliver Lorelai to the wedding. Her attitude was so confident that she convinced everyone including herself. Now as the day draws close, her insecurities are building.

Rory is anticipating Lorelai's first reaction will be shock, followed closely by annoyance and possibly anger. Lorelai will probably rant and rave for an half an hour or so until she gets it out of her system. At that point, Rory hopes her mother will begin to listen to reason.

Rory intends to explain how this is a gift of love from the town (de-emphasizing Emily's role in the plans). She wants Lorelai to understand the sadness and pain felt by the whole town when they heard of the breakup. She needs her mother to empathize with their feelings of guilt and remorse because they believe that they should have helped her more or at least talked to Luke before their whole relationship crumbled. Lorelai needs to understand how the town embraced the couple as their own modern day Stars Hollow lovers and desperately want them to have a happy ending.

Rory has put together an album of all of the candid pictures that Kirk shot of the town working on this wedding. She is hoping the pictures showing how the entire town worked so hard on this project in one form or another will move Lorelai.

Getting Luke to agree to the wedding has always been problematic. He hates town festivals to begin with and no matter how much he wants to marry Lorelai, he will undoubtedly refuse to be pushed by Taylor and party. Taylor came up with the original plan to handle Luke. It was Kirk who explained it to Rory.

It was Taylor's idea is to organize a posse to ambush Luke. He was planning to get Jackson, T.J., Andrew, Coop, Ed, Bootsie, and possibly Kirk to capture Luke and tie him to a chair until he agrees to participate. Taylor intended to use any means available to convince Luke. (Kirk confided to Rory that he is currently bidding for a cattle prod on eBay and that Taylor already has a Taser.) Then, Kirk added, if Luke continues to refuse to get ready, Miss Patty volunteered to personally give him a sponge bath, a shave, and dress him herself.

Rory immediately put a stop to that plan. She forced Taylor to give her his Taser and threatened to tell Kirk's mother if he actually buys the cattle prod. She pointed out to both of them that the wedding requires Luke to actually be alive for the service and that their plan has a very real possibility of killing him. (Rory is pretty sure that Luke will die of humiliation from a Miss Patty's sponge bath). They reluctantly agreed.

Of course then Rory had to come up with an alternate plan, which she did. She decided that Luke's family should break the news to him. So Liz, Jess, and April will be the ones to tell Luke. Rory, knowing Luke as well as she does, is pretty sure that he won't blow up with April and a pregnant Liz around and he'll listen to reason from Jess.

* * *

Luke is fixing breakfast when he notices that Lorelai is in Rory's room with the computer printing stuff off. 

"What are you doing?" he asks as he pokes his head in.

"Looking up Connecticut weddings."

His face breaks out in a big cheesy grin, "Really? Find anything useful?"

"Lots" she answers back with an equally cheesy smile.

"Okay, you can tell me about it over breakfast. Your pancakes are getting cold."

Lorelai carries the stack of papers that she printed out to the table and exclaims with glee, "You made me chocolate chip, banana, and blueberry pancakes!"

"Well, when I asked you what you wanted, you first told me chocolate chip, then banana, then chocolate chip again, then blueberry. So I figured you really wanted all three. It looks disgusting enough that you will probably love it."

Lorelai drowns her pancakes in syrup and takes a bite. "Mmm, I think I've discovered a pancake sensation, a new special for the diner! We'll call them Lorelai cakes!"

'Hmm, I don't think so."

"What? I'm crushed. You won't add my epicurean delight to the menu?"

"You'll survive."

"You are spoiling my opportunity to be immortalized in infamy like the Earl of Sandwich. Though it was his servant that first placed meat between two pieces of bread, it was the Earl that inspired the concept so his name will always be attached to it. You may have created the Lorelai cakes but I was your inspiration."

Luke raises his hands in a sign of surrender and replies "Fine, they are officially dubbed the Lorelai cakes."

"And you'll add them to the menu at Luke's?"

"No."

"Luke!"

"No, because no one else in the world, with the possible exception of Rory, would ever eat such a disgusting pancake. We can still call it the Lorelai cake if you like. Whenever you want it, you can ask me to make you Lorelai cakes and I'll know what you want."

Feigning disappointment, Lorelai proceeds to dig into her breakfast until she notices what Luke is eating. "Hey, you're eating pancakes also! You never eat pancakes. How come?"

"I sometimes eat pancakes. And it's not pancakes; it is a pancake, one _plain_ pancake." Smiling salaciously, Luke continues, "I feel the need for extra energy today."

"Admit it Mister, I am rubbing off on you. As we grow old together we're going start looking and acting alike. Pretty soon you'll be eating junk food and I'll start wearing flannel with a backwards baseball cap."

"God help us!"

After finishing her pancakes, Lorelai grabs the stack of papers that she printed off and starts, "Okay, first we need a license."

Luke gives her is "Duh" look but says nothing.

Giving him a dirty look, Lorelai continues, "Normally we could go to the Town Clerk to get a license but, of course, here in Stars Hollow that means Taylor. If we go to Taylor, the whole town will know in like 5 minutes. Besides, Taylor is bound to do something that really annoys you and then you'll threaten him and well, he'll never give us a license. So our best bet is to go to Bureau of Vital Records in Hartford. We need picture ID's, so our driver's licenses will work, our Social Security cards, and you need your divorce decree. Oh, and $30.00 for the fee."

Frustrated, Luke responds, "This is going to take all day, isn't it?"

Lorelai gets up to go get her day planner, "Probably, after all, this is government bureaucracy at its finest."

Luke watches her as she opens up her planner to see the list of tasks under today's date and asks her, "So after we get the license, how long do we have to wait or can we get married right away?"

"No wait time. We can get married right as soon as we find someone to perform the ceremony, like a Justice of the Peace or Pastor. I printed off a listing of the JP's in the area."

Suddenly Lorelai's expression turns into one of alarm, "Oh no!"

"What?"

"Do you know what today is?"

Luke looks at her mystified, "Thursday?"

"Yes, but the date? Do you know the date?'

"July something, uh, July the 13th, I think. Why?"

"So, we can't get married today, it's bad luck!"

Totally mystified, Luke asks, "What? What are you talking about?"

"We can't get married today because it's the 13th. That's bad luck."

"Thursday, the 13th is not bad luck."

"Yes it is; the number 13 is unlucky. Besides, Friday the 13th is definitely an unlucky date and our first anniversary will be on Friday, the 13th. And every 7 years, well almost every 7 years, because I have to factor in leap year, but for arguments sake, let me say ever 7 years it will be on Friday the 13th."

"Lorelai that's just a silly superstition, an irrational belief that future events are influenced by a number or a day of the week. You don't really believe in that?"

"Oh yes I do. Did you not see Apollo 13? Everything went wrong on that mission."

"I did see it and everyone came back alive."

"But they didn't make it to the moon. I really want our marriage to make it to the moon."

Luke face softened as he acquiesced, "Okay, okay we'll not get married until tomorrow. Does your phobia prevent us from getting the license today?"

"No, I think that's okay. Oh damn, we can't get married until tomorrow evening. I have to spend the whole day in New York with my mother. She's going to be mad enough that I elope. I can't miss her big DAR award luncheon, too."

"You'll be too tired tomorrow night and I don't want to fit our wedding in after your day in New York." Luke gets up, paces a moment and then continues, "Okay, here's the plan. We go get the license today, pick a Justice of the Peace from that list you printed off, and set up a time for Saturday morning. We just postpone the wedding until Saturday." Luke cringes a little after saying the word 'postpone' since that brings up such bad memories. Feeling guilty, he wraps his arms around her and adds, "If that's what you want, I mean. I'm ready to get married anytime you want."

Lorelai responds by wrapping her arms around him and says, "I know and Saturday will be good. In fact, it's better because Rory isn't scheduled to work Saturday so she won't miss any work."

"But you haven't told Rory about this yet, right?"

Now it is her turn to give him the "duh" look. "When have I had a chance to talk with her? We just decided last night. She already left for work before I got up. Besides, I thought it would be more fun to make it a surprise. You know, just call her to come met us when we finally were ready to have the ceremony. It will be so worth it to see the look on her face."

Luke squeezes her a little tighter as he says "Sometimes you are just like a little kid. So I gather that you still don't want to tell her even about Saturday?"

Excited, Lorelai adds, "No, I mean yes. I mean, I still want to surprise her but now on Saturday. It will be fun. She'll love it. She loves surprises, we both do…" Lorelai affectionately hits him on the arm and winks awkwardly, "I mean when they are good surprises like this."

Smiling lovingly, Luke replies, "Sure, what ever you want."

"Hey, you know April is coming to visit you on Saturday. Why don't you bring her to the wedding too. We can both have our daughters there and…" pressing her hands gently on her belly, "with these two we can make it a real family event."

"Yeah? Do you think she'll want to come?"

Lorelai smiles, "Of course she'll want to see her father get married."

"I guess I can ask her."

"But don't tell her about the wedding. Keep it a secret."

Frowning, "I'm not so sure that April gets as much pleasure from these types of surprises as you and Rory but okay, I won't tell her. I still think you're crazy." Then Luke's face gets even more serious, "How about your parents? I really think we should tell them. Even though they aren't my favorite people and I'm not theirs, it seems kind of mean."

"No!"

"Lorelai think about how your parents will feel, how would you feel if Rory eloped? They'll be hurt and they will never let us forget that."

Beginning to become slightly distressed, Lorelai pleads, "No, I don't want them there. I don't want any negative vibes. They have made it clear that they don't respect me or us."

Luke attempts to bargain, "Look, I know they didn't handle the news of the pregnancy very well but they were shocked. Last time we saw them they weren't so bad. A little weird with that clothes thing but you know it was civil. Lorelai, they are who they are but they do love you. This just seems unnecessarily cruel. How about we give them like a 15 minute notice before hand. It can be their choice if they want to come or not. What can they do to screw it up in 15 minutes?"

Definitely agitated, Lorelai responds, "Have you met my mother? In 15 minutes I'm sure she can locate a Vera Wang wedding dress for me, an Armani tux for you, and turn our wedding into a circus." Closing her eyes, Lorelai lays her head on his shoulder and continues, "I just don't want to be reminded of what a disappointment I am. They won't see it a happy event, just something to get over with. My father will see it as a tidy solution to an embarrassing problem. My mother will be personally insulted that we chose such a simple and private service. I don't want to have to defend it or hear anything negative. I just want to be happy, okay?"

Luke hugs her tighter while rocking back and forth, "Okay, we won't tell them. I won't let anyone or anything ruin this, I promise. We will have a nice simple wedding with just our kids, whatever you want."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to freak out. I'm okay. I know Mom and Dad will be upset but I don't want them there. We can make it up to them. We'll let Mom plan our vow renewal. That will give her an entire year to rent the Taj Mahal."

With a pained look on his face, Luke asks, "Do we have to show up for that?"

Smiling innocently, Lorelai assures him, "No-o-o-o, I doubt they'll even miss us. Come on let's go get the license. You do have $30 on you, don't you?"

Feigning shock, Luke asks, "I'm paying for this? I thought you were paying."

* * *

It's only 10:30 AM Friday morning and Rory has already negotiated a truce between Tom's crew and the carpet layers, dealt with Sookie's first melt-down, and talked Michele into dropping his law suit against the snow blowers who covered Pau-Pau and Chin-Chin with artificial snow (accidentally, they claim). She is exhausted and it's still the morning. 

When her cell begins to ring, Rory figures that it's her grandmother calling again to check on the progress. Emily has called twice already. She called the first time just before she picked up Lorelai (Emily rented a limousine for their trip) and she called the second time when they stopped for a 'comfort break'.

Unfortunately when Rory checks the caller ID on her phone, she finds that she is wrong. It's not Emily, it's her dad. Rory hasn't heard from him for a couple of weeks; not since before Lorelai had her talk with him. It didn't surprise her that Chris would lay low after the talk, but for him to resurface today must be some sort of cosmic joke or is it? Suddenly she has a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. What if he knows about the wedding?

A sense of guilt flows over Rory as she realizes how unfair she thoughts are. After all Christopher has been nothing but supportive of her mother. This is probably just a coincidence. He would never try to stop the wedding even if he does know about it.

Rory takes a deep breath and answers the phone, "Hey Dad!"

"Hey Kid, it's been a while. How's it going?"

"Busy. I've been working a lot of hours."

"I know and I don't want to bother you, but I am kind of hoping that we might have dinner together tonight. I happen to know that you aren't expected at your grandparents so I thought that maybe we could have our own Friday night dinner together."

"Wow, huh, isn't this kind of out of the blue? How do you know that I am not going to Grandma and Grandpa's?"

"Well, actually I spoke with your grandmother this morning and she told me."

That sinking feeling in her stomach has suddenly become a cold hard lead ball. "You spoke to Grandma? Why?'

A little taken back by his daughter's tone, Christopher responds, "Rory, I talk to your grandparents all the time. Look that's not important. I was just hoping for a nice private dinner with my daughter."

Suddenly Rory feels like she fallen into some sort of Twilight Zone episode where the same maneuver is repeated over and over with minor variations but producing the same outcome. She panics that her father once again conspiring with her grandmother! It's a potential nightmare and she must prevent it.

Obviously she needs to figure out what her dad is up to but no way does she intend to let him anywhere near the Dragonfly Inn or any place else in Stars Hollow this weekend. She suggests they met at a restaurant located halfway between Stars Hollow and Hartford. Christopher agrees and they set a date for 7:00 PM tonight.

Rory makes a note to herself to run back home to pick up a change of clothes before her mother returns. She doesn't want to explain to Lorelai that she's meeting Christopher for dinner tonight. She doesn't want to even mention Christopher's name to Lorelai.

* * *

The rest of the day unfolds pretty much as she expected. She refereed a few more squabbles but nothing major. Sookie had another total melt down when she found both of the wedding cakes missing but it turned out that they were moved into the refrigerated truck for safekeeping. Michele pouted for an hour when Rory forced him to take his Chows home after Pau-Pau bites a hole in one of the hoses being used to spray on the snow. Basically everything went as expected and so far all the preparations are on schedule. 

At little after 7:00 PM Rory is walking into the restaurant to meet Christopher. He is already seated and waiting for her. After joining him and ordering, they engaged in a round of general discussion for a few minutes before Rory finally reaches her threshold for benign chatter and asks, "So Dad, what are you up to?"

Taken back a bit by her tone and question, Christopher replies, "What do you mean? I just want to spend some time with my daughter."

"Come on Dad, you have never asked me out for dinner before. There has got to be a reason. What are you and Grandma planning?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm not planning anything with your Grandmother. Why would you think that? I just wanted to see you and I thought dinner would be nice."

"What did you and Grandma talk about this morning?"

Dumbfounded by Rory's acquisition, Christopher asks, "Rory, where is this coming from? I simply returned your grandmother's call. She called and left a message last night and I called her back this morning. There was no planning involved. Planning for what? What is this all about?"

"What did Grandma want?"

"Rory, it wasn't anything. She just wanted to me to understand that Lorelai and Luke are together and that everyone is happy about it." Suddenly things started to click in his head. "Rory, are you going to ask me to stay away from your mother also?"

Rory looks directly in Christopher's eyes and replies, "Yes."

"Okay kid, what's going on? Why are you and Emily so concern that I'm going to contact Lorelai suddenly? Aren't things going well with Luke?"

"Just the opposite, Luke and Mom are finally happy again. I just don't want you to mess things up."

"Rory, that's not fair. Their trouble had nothing to do with me."

"Not this time."

Christopher starts to defend himself but then abruptly stops. "Okay, I suppose I deserve that but tonight has nothing to do with your mom. This is about you and me. I know we've never been as close as we should have been and it's my fault. I can't change the past but I am trying to do better."

"So this unexpected dinner is really just a father/daughter bonding exercise?"

"Not just that. Look a few weeks ago, your mom and I had a talk or rather she talked to me. Maybe she told you about it?"

"Yeah, she gave me the Cliffs Notes version."

Christopher smiles as he continues, "She would. Anyway, she made a lot of sense and I really heard her this time. She put a mirror up to my face and I wasn't please with the reflection. I need to find a way to fit into your life."

"Dad, you are in my life."

"No, I'm more like a visiting uncle than your father and that's my fault. I want to change that. Look , I'm taking GiGi on a little trip to Europe at the end of the summer. I am hoping that you might be willing to join us."

"Europe?"

"Yeah, GiGi is very into Winnie the Pooh these days. I am taking her on the Pooh County tour in East Sussex, England. Then I'll take her over to Paris for a couple of days so she can spend some time with her mother."

"You're taking her to see Sherry?"

"Yeah well, GiGi is starting to ask about her mother and since Sherry won't come here, I thought that I should take her to see her mom."

"That's good Dad. That's a good thing to do."

"It's what your mother did for you and me. Lorelai's my parenting role model. Without her efforts, you and I might not have had any type of relationship. I didn't make much of an effort. Anyway, I thought if you wanted to come with us, it would be a chance for you, GiGi, and me to spend some real time together.."

Laughing, Rory states, "Gee Dad you want to take me to see all the Enchanted Places from Winnie the Pooh? I'm touched."

"Well, you won't have to hang with GiGi and me the whole time. You can always shop or visit the Palace or…" Christopher smiled knowingly, "maybe there's a friend that you can visit with. What'd say?"

Confused, Rory asks, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Dad, why do you want me to go with you?"

"Because you're my daughter and I want to spend time with you. I realized as I was planning this trip for GiGi that I never did anything like this for you. I never took you anywhere. Yeah, I know, you're mom took you places but I never did. That was my fault. I never even took you to the zoo or a circus or even to a movie."

"Dad, I…"

"Look, I know you didn't have a deprived life. You're mom was there and she made sure that you had a great childhood. I'm sure she took you to the zoo and the circus and I know she took you to a movie, lots of movies but I didn't. I missed that. I never got to see you look at your first elephant or laugh at clown."

"Rory, this is selfish of me but I just want to spend some time with my daughters, both of my daughters. I want us to feel like a family even if it's just for a few days. I know I don't deserve it but you and GiGi do. Please, come with us?"

Rory's emotions are spinning. This is last thing that she expected to hear from Christopher. Of course as always, his actions were the result of outside prompting (her mother) but he seems sincere in his desire to have her go with him. Or maybe he just needs her to take care of GiGi for him.

She hates that she is so cynical of Christopher's motives but she knows that his fatherly concern always seemed to have an ulterior motive behind it. Usually he was trying to impress Lorelai. Of course, there was that period where he was trying to impress Sherry. She learned to live with the realization that she was always an after thought for him.

"Dad, you don't have to do this. I'm fine with our relationship as it is."

"Yeah, I do. You may be fine with the relationship but I'm not. I want you to have good memories of me. I don't expect you to spend all of the time with GiGi and me, especially since you'll want to be with Logan but hopefully we can find the time to do some father/daughter bonding. Please, just think about, okay?"

"I don't know, Dad but I'll think about it. I'm not sure with work and everything if I can take off. Let me get back to you next week, okay?"

"Sure Kid, whenever."

* * *

Saturday morning Luke walks into the bedroom to find Lorelai still asleep in bed. He had gotten up early to open the diner and work until Caesar arrived to take over. Before he left this morning he reset the alarm for 7:30 hoping to get Lorelai up and moving. It's now after nearly 8:30 AM. He needs to get her and Rory up, dressed and fed so that they can leave, pick up April, and make it to the Justice of the Peace by 10:00. 

Sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Lorelai, he smiles at her and then raises his hand to swats her on the behind. "Get up!"

Lorelai jolts up mumbling, "Wha...ouch, that hurt!"

Luke stands up as he repeats, "Get up! We're going to be late."

"What time is it?"

"8:27"

"Huh, you were supposed to wake me at 7:30."

"I set the alarm."

Lorelai stares at him as if he spoke a foreign language.

Just then the bathroom door opens and out comes Rory, showered and dressed in her bathrobe, smiling at him, "Morning Luke!"

Luke turns an inquisitive eye towards Lorelai, who is grinning like a Cheshire cat. She explains, "I woke up when you left. I've already showered and washed my hair. I guess I fell back asleep while Rory was using the bathroom."

While the girls finish dressing, Luke heads downstairs to fix breakfast. After a few minutes, Rory walks into the kitchen holding two different dresses and asks, "Which do you think I should wear Luke?"

Luke looks at each dress and responds, "Both look nice to me, but I'm probably not the one you should ask. Your mother is the fashion expert."

Mischievously Rory continues, "Yeah, but which one do you think is most appropriate?"

Grinning, Luke answers, "I'm not giving you any hints where we're going. Anything you want to know, you have to get it from Lorelai."

"Damn!" Rory storms back to her room disappointed.

Lorelai comes downstairs in her robe. Luke looks over attire and asks, "That's what you're wearing?"

"You should talk, Mr. Backwards Baseball cap and Flannel."

"I'm going upstairs now to shower and change while you eat. It only takes me 10 minutes to dress and that includes shaving."

"Well, I'm all ready except for my dress. I didn't want to get it dirty."

Just then a fully dressed Rory appears and sits saying, "So when are you going to tell me about this surprise?"

Luke sets down her breakfast and turns to Lorelai, "She's your daughter. I'm going upstairs to get ready."

After they finish eating, Rory turns to look at Lorelai with her best pout face. "I can't believe you won't tell me. You wake me up at the crack of dawn and force me to get dressed up but you won't tell me where we're going or what we're doing. This is not fun, Mom. Are you sure this isn't going to take long? We have an appointment at the salon for facials and mani/pedi's at 2:00 this afternoon. We will be back in time, right?"

Smiling big, Lorelai reassures Rory that they will be back in plenty of time and heads upstairs to finish dressing. Rory takes the opportunity to call her grandmother who is overseeing the final preparations at the Dragonfly.

Rory assures Emily that even though Lorelai is dragging her off this morning on an errand they will be back in time to go to the spa. The idea of taking Lorelai to a spa for the pre-wedding preparations seemed like the perfect idea. She and Emily had decided that the best time to tell Lorelai about the wedding tonight would be when she is relaxed and serene. Nothing relaxes Lorelai more than being pampered.

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later, Luke is sitting on their bed waiting for Lorelai who still hasn't put on her dress. Currently she is in the closet searching for a pair of shoes. 

Luke impatiently asks, "I don't understand how the shoes can be missing? You just bought them yesterday. Where did you put them?"

From deep inside the closet, Lorelai's voice responds, "Here in the closet."

"Then they are in there. They can't walk away by themselves."

Lorelai pops out into the dressing area, begins searching the floor on her hands and knees as she responds, "Gnomes".

"What?"

"Shoe gnomes, they are always hiding my shoes."

Smirking, Luke asks, "Shoe gnomes? So shoe gnomes hid your shoes and it has nothing to do with the fact that you take your shoes off all over the house and just leave them."

"You know, you're not helping."

"I was trying to help but you kicked me out of the closet and told me to go away."

"Well, now I want your help."

"I'm not crawling on the floor and getting my suit all dusty."

Standing up, an exasperated Lorelai responds, "Then you're going to have to marry me barefoot."

"I found three pairs of white sandals in your closet. Why can't you wear one of those?"

Looking at Luke like he is an idiot, Lorelai explains, "Because I didn't buy them to go with my new dress."

"Grrrr!" Luke growls and gets off of the bed asking, "Where were you that last time you were wearing the shoes?"

Waving her hand around the bedroom, "Somewhere in here, but I swear I put them away."

"Uh-huh." Luke replied as he looks under the bed and pulls out a pair of new white sandals and holds them up in the air. "Are these the ones you were looking for?"

Grinning sheepishly, Lorelai takes the shoes and answers, "Those damn gnomes."

She heads back into the closet and a moment later comes out in her wedding dress. It's a white crinkled cotton gauze dress with spaghetti straps. It has a drop waist with a bow and eyelet detail down the front and on the skirt hem.

A look of love and appreciation comes over Luke's face as he takes in the vision of his soon-to-be bride. "You look beautiful!" he tells her and then leans in to give her a gentle kiss.

"Thank you, sir. You look rather spiffy yourself."

Luke leads her downstairs where Rory is sitting on the sofa reading. She looks up and remarks, "It's about time! What took you so long?"

"Your mother couldn't find her shoes."

"Gnomes?" asks Rory smiling. Then continuing, "Wow, you two look really nice. So tell me, where are we going?"

Putting her arm around her daughter, Lorelai answers, "To go pick up April." Turning to Luke, she asks, "You did remember to bring the uh, err, ticket, right?"

"Ticket?" confused Luke asks.

"Yes, the uh ticket we got Thursday" Lorelai responds knowingly.

Patting his breast pocket, "Oh, it's here. So let's go. April is waiting for us."

The trio head out the door and get into Rory's car.

(tbc)


	25. Chapter 25 Wedding Day Part II

**Disclaimer: **I am in no way associated with Warner Brothers or Dorothy Parker Drank Here or anyone else attached in any way with Gilmore Girls.

**Chapter 25 –Wedding Day Part II**

Luke pulls Rory's Prius up in front of the home of Donald Lydecker, retired Circuit Judge and active Justice of the Peace for the city of Woodbridge, Ct. To Luke's amazement, they have actually arrived twelve minutes early. It's a good thing since it will give them a chance to talk with the girls.

Ever since they picked up April, there has been an undercurrent of whispers coming from the back seat. Neither Luke nor Lorelai have been able to pick up more than a word or two but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that April and Rory are trying to guess their destination.

Luke and Lorelai on the other hand are quiet and withdrawn during the drive. Luke is deep in thought, contemplating the step they are about to undertake while Lorelai is trying to just hold herself together.

Up until they got in the car she was fine but then it all began to hit her. What if she can't do this? What if he ends of hating her because she doesn't know how to be a wife? She's screwed up every relationship she's ever had, what on earth makes her think she can do this now?

When Luke shuts off the car, Lorelai turns to look at him with fear and anxiety reflected in her face. He sees this as their eyes lock but she only sees confidence in his eyes. There is a silent question bridging the space between them. Then, as if on cue, they both smile reassurances to each other which quickly transforms into beams of happiness as they lean over for a kiss of confirmation.

"Hey, let's keep it PG up there. There are captive children present." exclaims Rory.

Smiling, Luke and Lorelai break apart but their eyes are still locked. Luke raises his eyebrows, silently asking Lorelai if it is finally time to tell the girls. She nods affirmation.

Luke turns towards the backseat and announces, "Okay ladies, everyone out of the car and we'll explain all of this to you."

"Thank God, we're finally here but where the heck is 'here'?" asks Rory as she exits the car. "It looks like a house, a really nice house granted but still just a house. Oh my god, you aren't buying a new house in Woodbury, are you? Mom, you can't leave Stars Hollow?"

Lorelai chuckles mischievously.

Rory tries again, "Or is this place like a photographer's studio? Are we having a family picture?"

Still smiling, Lorelai waits until Luke and April join them before she answers. "No, we're not moving to Woodbridge and this isn't a photography studio." She takes a deep breathe and exhales slowly before continuing, "Okay, here it is. This is a Justice of the Peace. We asked you to come with us so you can witness a wedding, our wedding."

Rory and April both froze, dumbfounded. This is the last thing either of them anticipated especially today.

April regains her speech first. "Oh wow, you are, uh, uh, oh gosh." She turns towards Rory and asks, "What about..."

Emerging from her daze in time to hear April speak, Rory quickly jumps in "You're getting married? Right now?" Rory begins pacing as she processes, "Whoa, okay, okay, so you're getting married. This is good, this is a good thing. And this is what you want? I mean, this is great but I thought you wanted people at your wedding? You know a fancy wedding with guests and cake. This is small Mom, really small! No one is here to see you get married but April and me and there's no cake. You need to have a wedding with cake and people. And what about Grandma and Grandpa and poor Sookie? What about the town? The town wants to see your wedding." Rory stops pacing, turns and looks closely at both Lorelai and Luke. "Is this really what you want?"

Lorelai smiles at Luke as he wraps a protective arm around before she answers, " Yes, this _is_ what we want. We have never been surer. Babe, this just feels right, it feels like us. The June 3rd thing never did. Trust me, you know how much I love throwing kick-ass parties with cake so we will do that but later. We will party down with the town big time but for now we want a small, intimate ceremony with just you two."

Lorelai notices that April seems a little overwhelmed by the news. She catches Luke's eye and silently conveys to him that he needs to talk with her. Gently he approaches his daughter and asks her if she wants to take a walk. Shrugging her shoulders in agreement, Luke steers April away from the Gilmore girls, leaving them to talk privately.

Meanwhile Rory's mind is racing as she tries to assimilate this latest turn of events. All of the plans, all of the subterfuge, all the hard work to produce the "perfect" wedding for Lorelai and Luke were for naught. She had been wrong; they were all wrong. The wedding they had all worked so hard to produce was wrong. Left on their own, her mom and Luke had found what they wanted and this is it. This is the "perfect" wedding, something quiet and simple. She can't believe that she let herself get sucked into the town's crazy plans and then worse of all, she brought her grandmother into it. Why did she let this all happen? She of all people should have just waited and trusted Lorelai and Luke to work it out.

Composing herself, she finally smiles reassuringly, "I think its perfect Mom. This is great. It's just that I can't help but think about Grandma and Grandma. Not being invited to see you get married will really hurt them. I mean, you're getting married; married! Their only child is getting married. It's not right that they aren't here to see it."

"Hon please, try to understand. I am already nervous enough about this. I mean, I know this is what I what but still this is a big scary step. The only family I need here with me is you, my daughter. Mom and Dad would only disapprove and I can't handle their reproaching ritornelle ringing in my ears today. Please just try to understand how important this is to me. I know they won't like it but I need today to be peaceful and happy. Please, try to understand?"

"But your wrong Mom, Grandma and Grandpa would be happy. Remember your graduation? You didn't want to ask them but they came and were so proud of you. It all turned out good for you and them. They would be thrilled for you today, if you just let them. You can't keep shutting them out. They love you and want you to be happy. Mom, let them share this with you? Please, for me, ask them come? Please?"

Lorelai closes her eyes and begins breathing deeply. She can feel her stress level rising as she fights to remain calm. "Rory I don't know why but I can't so please don't push."

"Mom, I was almost sixteen years old before I really started to know my grandparents. They've added a lot to my life and part of me sort of regrets that I didn't get to know them sooner. I understand your reasons but it affected me too. If you shut Grandma and Grandpa out of this, it may take you another sixteen years to get back to this point. You have two new kids that may never get a chance to know them because of this. Don't do this to the twins and don't do this to Grandma and Grandpa. You know they aren't getting any younger and the twins may never have a chance to know them like I do."

Lorelai begins to feel queasy and a little light headed. Realizing that she is a little unsteady, Lorelai place her hand against the car to brace herself she tries to rationalize her decision to Rory, "I'm sorry but it's just too much. Everything is getting so complicated. I don't want to hurt them, but I just want today to be happy and special. I don't want to risk them ruining it for me besides it's too late. Our ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 AM. That's in, uh …"

All of the color begins to drain from Lorelai's face and her knees begin to buckle. Rory leaps quickly to support her mother as she yells, "Luke!"

April is quiet and seems to be very focused on her feet as she and Luke walk away from the car. There is a bus bench on the corner next to Judge Lydecker's property and April sits down on it. Luke sits next to her.

"Look, if this is weird for you, you don't have to stay. I can take you home. You don't have to do this." Luke tells her.

April looks down at the ground and Luke isn't sure what to do. She's doesn't say anything for a minute but he can tell that her mind in working overtime. He becomes more and more uncomfortable because he feels he should be saying something but he doesn't know what so he just waits.

Still looking down, April suddenly asks, "Am I the reason you didn't get married before?"

"What? No, absolutely not. No."

"Then why not? You love her and she loves you. You had plans to marry June 3rd but you didn't? If it wasn't because of me, then why?"

Feeling extremely inadequate, Luke wishes that Lorelai was here to help him through this but she's with Rory. "No", he thinks, "this is my daughter and I need to explain it." Luke starts out unsure. "Being an adult doesn't mean that you have learned everything, at least not for me. There were things I needed to deal with in my life so that I was ready to be a husband. What is it that everyone always says? They have issues to deal with? I had 'issues' to work through and I had to do it alone. Lorelai had some issues of her own to work through."

"And you both have worked through your issues?" asks April.

"I believe we have. We have dealt with the things that we needed to deal with alone. That doesn't mean we won't have more problems to face. That's just part of life. But we believe that now we're ready to deal with things together as a team. All relationships are hard at times but a good relationship is worth the work it takes."

"So, you really want me here?"

"Of course I do, you're my daughter. You're my family. I guess that sounds kind of dumb to you. You haven't known me very long and you have your mother so it's okay if you want to leave. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. It's just that I like having you around."

April appears to be concentrating on her feet again but her face breaks into a shy smile. "I kind of like being around you, too. I like being around you _and_ Lorelai. This whole eloping thing is kind of cool, you know. I'm okay with it if you really want me here."

A big cheesy smile breaks out on Luke's face as he says, "Okay, good, good." Luke stands up and holds out his arm beckoning her. April stands up and starts walking back next to Luke. Just then, Rory's scream for help interrupts the touching father/daughter moment and Luke, followed closely by April, runs back towards the car.

Rory is trying to support her mother and open the car door at the same time so she can lay Lorelei on the seat. Lorelai has fainted and her dead weight is just about more than Rory can handle. Luke arrives almost instantly and effortlessly picks up Lorelai while asking, "What happened?"

Rory starts to answer when they all hear a voice coming from the house behind them yelling, "Bring her in here!"

Without hesitating, Luke quickly walks toward the house. Rory and April trail behind. As they reach the front door, the women opens it wider and says, "Lay her on the couch. You must be the Gilmore-Danes party? I'm Mary Lydecker, the judge's wife."

As Luke places Lorelai on the couch, he explains, "I'm Luke Danes, this is my fiancé, Lorelai Gilmore, that's her daughter, Rory, and my daughter, April. Thank you for your help."

"Oh, don't worry. This happens all of the time especially with the bride-to-be but sometimes with the husband. Can I get her something? Water or brandy or tea?"

"Some water would be good or Chamomile tea if you have any."

Lorelai is starting to come to and is a little disorientated. Luke is trying to reassure her along with Rory as April, the ever practical one, is attempting to remove Lorelai's shoes. Luke notices his daughter's activities and asks, "April, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking off her shoes. When a person faints, you should raise their feet above their head to help the blood flow to the brain. I want to raise her feet up on the pillows but I don't want to get them dirty from her shoes."

Grinning, Luke tells her, "Oh, good idea."

After a few minutes, Lorelai is sufficiently restored to attempt to get up. She feels embarrassed by her girlie swoon and wants everyone to quit fussing over her. Luke is insisting that she continue to rest and is physically holding her down on the couch as Mrs. Lydecker returns with the Chamomile tea.

"Now honey, you need to rest for a while. Believe me, this happens all of the time. If you get up now, you'll just faint again." voices Mary Lydecker as shares with them her years of experience. "What you need is to drink this tea and rest for a little while. It will do you a world of good."

Smiling warmly at Lorelai, Mary suddenly exclaims, "Oh no, you managed to smudge your pretty dress." Mary looks at Luke as she continues, "Why don't you take her back to rest in our guest room. She can take off that pretty dress and give it to me. I think I can clean it good as new. "

Luke picks up Lorelai under her protest and follows Mary to the bedroom. Rory takes the tea and accompanies them as April picks up the shoes and follows. Once in the room Luke helps Lorelai remove her dress as Mrs. Lydecker pulls back the covers of the bed. "Now drink your tea and everyone will leave you alone to rest. I'll wake you in 30 minutes and you'll see how much stronger you feel. Don't worry about the Judge. He has nothing else planned for awhile. He's happy as long as he has a book to read."

As they all leave Lorelai to rest, an idea springs into Rory's mind. Walking outside to the front porch, she takes out her cell and places a call.

Emily along with Richard arrived at the Dragonfly early Saturday morning to oversee the final preparations. The wedding planners, Cecily and Gregory, worked all night along with the townies to decorate the area but Emily, of course, finds much to criticize. The flower placement on the archways is inconsistent, the tulle bows and banners aren't full enough, the tapers aren't even or the right height, the vacuum trails on the carpet aren't parallel, and so on and so on

Emily sends Richard off to oversee the alcohol delivery and the bar setup while she supervises the rearrangement of the flowers. She meanders up toward the ceremony staging area. Observing closely the craftsmanship of the chuppa for the first time, she is mesmerized by its simple beauty.

"Luke made that."

Lane had glided in behind Emily and noticed her examining the workmanship. Emily was so captivated by the artistry that she hadn't heard Lane's approach. When Lane spoke, Emily jerked as though shocked by an electric current."

"Oh my goodness Mrs. Gilmore, I didn't mean to scare you. I just noticed that you were admiring the chuppa that Luke made for Lorelai."

"He made it for her? When?"

"When she was engaged to Max. He didn't want her just standing under the hot sun. It was really sweet. I think she keep it even after the breakup because Luke made it for her .It means a lot to her. It still looks beautiful after all these years."

"He made it for her to marry Max?"

"Yeah, he did. I think her engagement bothered him a lot more that he was willing to admit back then but he still wanted her to have something special."

"That's remarkable."

"Yeah, those two have been dancing around each other for years. Everyone knew that they are perfect for one another but it just took them awhile to figure it out."

Smiling knowingly, Emily admits, "This day has been a long time coming. I recognized it was inevitable almost from the first time I met Luke though I did fight against. I have now resigned myself to this union. It's what my daughter wants. He is a good man."

Suddenly the air is pierce by the ring of Emily's cell phone. When she checks the caller ID, she sees that it's Rory.

"Rory dear, where are you?"

"Grandma, please listen. I have something serious to talk with you about. Is Grandpa around?"

"I believe he is inside the Inn dealing with the liquor suppliers. Of course they brought the wrong wine and not nearly enough champagne. But don't worry, your grandfather will get it sorted out before tonight."

"Grandma I need you to focus and stay claim. Call Grandpa. I need to talk with you both"

"Stay calm? What's happened?"

"Grandma please, get Grandpa so I can explain it to both of you together. Do you promise to listen and stay calm?"

"Rory, for heaven's sake, hold on." Emily starts walking towards the Inn yelling, "Richard, Richard, come here right now."

"Emily? I am kind of busy right now, is it important?" yells Richard through the screen in the parlor.

"Of course it's important, Richard. Come out here right now." replies Emily. Then she returns to the phone and tells Rory, "Your grandfather is on his way."

"Okay Grandma, I need you and Grandpa to find someplace private so I can speak to both of you on the speaker phone without anyone overhearing."

When Richard arrives, Emily fills him in what Rory's has told her which isn't much and explains that they need to move to a private location so that Rory can talk to them both together.

Richard forever the problem solver formulates a plan. He takes the phone from Emily and tells Rory that they will call her back in a few minutes. Then he leads Emily to their Jag and tells her to get in. Once in the car, he explains to Emily that this car is the best way to insure complete privacy and that car's phone offers a clearer speaker enabling them to hear Rory better. Now he calls Rory back.

"Rory dear, your Grandfather and I are in our car. No one else can hear you. Now will you please explain."

"Good," Rory starts, "but I need you both to promise to stay calm and hear me out. Do you agree?"

Richard replies, "We agree. Please continue."

Rory takes a deep breathe and then plunges right in. "Mom and Luke are getting married."

Emily nods her head gently as she responds, "Well of course they are. I am looking at that silly chuppa right this minute where they will take their vows tonight."

"No Grandma, they are getting married right now."

"What do you mean right now?" inquires Richard.

"They decided to elope this morning and we are at the Justice of the Peace right now."

With her voice rising emotionally, Emily responds, "No, no, no, no. This can't happen. Rory you have to stop this. No, I will not let this happen!"

"Grandma please, listen to me. This is what they want and after all, it is their wedding. They chose a simple but elegant service with just their family. They are entitled to have the ceremony that they want. You can pitch a fit about it or you choose to be a part of it. If you want to see your only daughter marry the man she loves, then you and Grandpa have to promise me something or I won't tell you where we are. Do you want to come to the wedding or not?"

Emily responds with a bristle in her tone, "Why isn't your mother the one calling to invite us?"

"Grandma please, this is all very unplanned and spontaneous. I'm calling you but you have to promise to behave when you get here or I'm not going to tell you where we are."

Emily, irritated by the news and Rory's veiled acquisition, starts to protest but before she can, Richard speaks, "Of course, we will come. Do not concern your self, Emily and I will comport ourselves in the manner befitting that of proud parents witnessing the marriage of their beloved daughter to the man of her choice. We both want this to be perfect for Lorelai and will do our utmost to ensure that."

Trusting in her grandfather's assurances, Rory replies, "Okay Grandpa, but you will have to hurry. You have about 20 minutes to get here. You need to come immediately."

Emily pipes up, "We can't possible change and get there in 20 minutes. You have to delay it."

"Grandma, I can't delay it. You'll just have to come as you are. I'm sure you look fine." With that, Rory provides Richard with the address and he enters it into the navigational computer. Richard and Emily set off immediately.

Luke is pacing around the Lydecker living room, fidgeting. He's feeling really jittery even after drinking the Chamomile tea Mrs. Lydecker made him. April tried to engage him in a conversation but gave up because he wouldn't focus and now she's working a crossword puzzle.

Rory has gone back out to sit on the front porch so Luke heads out there. Lorelai had insisted that they each write a personal statement. Luke hated the idea because he feels his words are always so inadequate. He tried to get Lorelai to help him last night or at least review what he wrote but she had been stubborn. Now he's hoping that Rory will help him.

"Hey." Luke says to catch her attention as he stands awkwardly in the doorway.

Rory turns her head and smiles warmly, "Hey Luke, how are you doing? Is Mom up yet?"

"No, I actually peeked in on her a few minutes ago and she looks like she still asleep. We're going to let her sleep a little while longer. She didn't get much rest last night, you know, nerves and all. I think it caught up to her."

"Did you get much sleep last night?"

Smiling sheepishly, Luke admitted, "No, I guess I was a little nervous too but then I'm not pregnant." Luke stands there shyly before he continues, "Uh, are you busy right now because I was sort of hoping that you'd do me a favor?"

"Sure."

Luke pulls a slip of paper out of his breast pocket and hands it to Rory as he explains, "Your mom insisted that we had to write something for the ceremony but I'm no good with these types of things. I'm kind of hoping that you might take a look at what I wrote and punch it up a little so I don't sound so dumb."

With a warm smile, Rory takes the paper. As she reads the words that Luke so carefully chose, Rory's face takes on a tender but sentimental expression. Luke nervously stares out into space as Rory carefully rereads the paper. Finally she takes her pen and makes one change and hands it back to Luke, telling him, "Here, now I think that's better."

Luke reads over the words and a puzzled look sweeps over his face. "I don't see what you changed?"

Grinning she tells him, "You forgot to cross a 'T' but really, I didn't need to change a word. It's beautiful. The sentiments you expressed are perfect."

Luke blushes at Rory's praise and hesitantly moves to give her a hug when they both notice a Jag pulling up next to the house. Luke recognizes the occupants immediately. Instead of hugging Rory, he pulls back and glares at her with a look of accusation. "You told them."

"Yes, I did. They should be here." Rory says with a bit of defiance in her tone. Getting up to welcome her grandparents, she hugs Emily and greets her with "I'm so happy that you made it. I _know_ that you're excited and proud to be here, aren't you Grandma?"

With a warm smile, Emily assures her, "Yes, I'm excited and happy."

Taking a deep breathe, Luke cautiously greets his soon-to-be in-laws. "Hello Emily, Richard."

Richard holds out his hand to Luke who takes it expecting a handshake but instead Richard pulls him in for a hug and tells him, "Congratulations, son. Welcome to the family."

When they separate, Luke is smiling until he turns towards Emily. Her face is blank and he can't read it but braces for the worse. Suddenly feeling very much like he just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he waits for her reprimand.

Emily fixes an icy stare at Luke as she begins. "You're a fool, you know, both of you are fools."

Luke decides that no response is probably the wisest course so he just stands there waiting for her to continue.

"I can't believe you and Lorelai are doing this. Well, at least you two have finally come to your senses. It's about time that you two realize what everyone else has known for years, you two are made for each other. Though I can't believe that you are eloping and that Richard and I only had about 20 minutes notice!" Scanning her eyes critically around the area, she continues, "You do realize that this is unacceptable. You can have this elopement but this is far from the end of this. Richard and I have a certain social position to maintain. Considering what you and Lorelai have put us through in the last year, you owe us. You still will have to go through some sort of socially accepted acknowledgement of this marriage but we will talk about this later. Right now, we need to get you two married. Where's Lorelai?"

Luke just stands there since he's not exactly sure what to make of her comments. It didn't sound as bad as he expected but he's not sure it was good either. All in all, he decides the safest response is simply to answer her question. "Lorelai is in the other room."

"Come on Rory. Let's get your mother ready for her wedding."

"Err Grandma maybe I should go see Mom alone; at least at first."

"Nonsense."

"Grandma, please?"

But Emily is not having any as she drags Rory into the house where she comes face to face with Mary Lydecker. Emily reacts to this stranger by adopting her regal authoritarian pose and asked, "Who are you?"

Rory immediately steps forward to make the introductions. "Mrs. Lydecker, this is my grandmother, Emily Gilmore. Grandma, this is Mary Lydecker, wife of the Justice of the Peace. Mrs. Lydecker kindly invited us into her home when Mom got a little overwhelmed and fainted."

"Lorelai fainted? You didn't tell me that. Is she alright? Has she seen a doctor?"

"Emily, we frequently have brides that succumb to the stress of the occasion, especially when they are expecting. That's why I insisted that she rest for a while." Turning to Rory, Mary continues, "You should go check on your mother. It's been almost 30 minutes and we should wake her now. Here's her dress. I was able to clean the smudge off and it looks perfect."

Rory thanks her profusely and heads into the bedroom with Emily right behind. Before opening the door, Rory turns to her grandmother and with a voice ringing with accusations reminds her grandmother, "You remember your promise. This is Mom's day. She doesn't need more stress."

"Of course I do! Now let's get your mother ready for her wedding."

"Grandma, just give me one minute with Mom alone and then you can come in."

Without waiting for a response, Rory enters the bedroom alone and closes the door. She walks over to where Lorelai is resting and gently shakes her mother. Lorelai opens her eyes as a look of confusion passes over her face until she sees Rory's face.

"Hey Mom, are you ready to get married?"

Lorelai sits up and a look of panic crosses her face. "Oh my god."

With concern ringing in her voice, Rory asks, "Mom are you okay?"

Lorelai is clearly apprehensive and looks at Rory with sad eyes, "I can't do this."

"Mom!"

"You were right. I'm not a teenager anymore and I have to start acting like an adult. I can't just sneak off and get married. No matter what Mom and Dad said or did in the past, this is wrong. This is no way to start a marriage." Covering her face with both of her hands, Lorelai continues. "I knew it would get messed up. I always screw things up! Why can't I ever do something right? Mom and Dad will never forgive me if I get married and Luke, oh god, poor Luke. How can he put up with me?"

Rory rushes to give Lorelai a big hug. "Mom, it's okay. You haven't messed anything up. I knew you would feel like this so I called Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma is right outside the door." Getting up to let Emily in the room, Rory continues, "Everything will be perfect."

Rory opens the door and there stands Emily looking every bit the proud mother. Lorelai can't believe her eyes and without thinking jumps out of bed and rushes to embrace her mother. Emily accepts the embrace at first stiffly but then finds herself comforting her daughter warmly.

"There, there Lorelai. You must compose yourself. No tears or your eyes will be puffy and red for your wedding."

"Mom" is all that Lorelai can say as her tears begin to flow.

Emily holds Lorelai tenderly as she pats her back in a truly loving gesture. After a few minutes, she gently pushes Lorelai back and takes a good look at her. "Well, I certainly hope that you brought some makeup and a hair brush."

Lorelai grins through her tears as Rory picks up Lorelai's oversized handbag and looks inside. Pulling out bags of cosmetics Rory grins, "Grandma, I think she has that covered."

Quickly Emily and Rory begin helping Lorelai to get ready. Within a few minutes they repaired the damage caused to her makeup by the nap and the crying. Rory helps Lorelai fix her hair and both Emily and Rory help her put on her dress and shoes. Emily stands back and observes her daughter. Lorelai looks beautiful in her simple white dress and Emily is suddenly embarrassed as tears well in her eyes.

In an effort to distract them from noticing her emotional state, Emily sends Rory out to tell everyone to get ready. This will also give her a little time alone with Lorelai. Emily has dreamt of this moment for years. The words she planned to share with Lorelai have changed many times over the years but the message she wants to express always remained the same.

Emily sits down on the bed motions for Lorelai to join her as she prepares to finally give the speech that she has waited for years to give. As she takes a moment to compose her thoughts, Lorelai interrupts her.

"Mom, I know this isn't the wedding that you planned for me nor is this the marriage you dreamed of. We've had a rocky road you and me. I didn't really want to do this behind your back but I was scared. I knew you wouldn't approve and I couldn't handle that look of disappointment on your face today of all days. But the closer it came to actually walking down the isle, the more I missed you and dad. I now realize that I couldn't go through this without you here. I'm so sorry I hurt you and I'm really happy that you and Dad are here."

Emily pats Lorelai on the back as she quietly responds. "Yes, it hurt both your father and me that you considered getting married without telling us. I won't deny that but I suppose there is a part of me that does understand. We weren't always the most welcoming towards Luke. You need to understand that we don't dislike him, he's a good man but honestly, he will never feel at home in Hartford society.

Lorelai, I've always had so many dreams for you. You had so much potential but you always acted like the advantages your father and I offered you were some sort a burden. You were born to live in our world yet you rejected it. You rejected all that your father and I offered to you and it hurt because that meant that you rejected us also. I just wanted you back in our lives. I wanted to share things that I enjoy with my daughter and believed that if you married Christopher that would finally happen. Now I finally can accept that you will never fully be a part of our world no matter who you are with.

Please understand that I've never really been disappointed in you but only in the methods that you chose to accomplish your goals. Even as a toddler, you always had to do things your way even if it was the hard way. I will never understand why you refuse our help but your happiness is all I ever truly wanted. Well that and not to loose contact with you and Rory again. So if Luke is who you need, that I support your choice. Your father and I are happy to welcome him into our family."

Emily lays her arm across her daughter's back in an awkward attempt at a hug. Grinning, Lorelai pulls her mom into a full-fledge hug and whispers, "Thanks Mom."

Emily touched by Lorelai's show of affection, smiles happily and returns the hug before she steps away to regain her composure. She quickly adds, "So let's go and get you married."

Rory silently walks back into the living room where Luke, April and Richard are waiting. Luke, she notices, is a bundle of nerves with his hands constantly fidgeting and pulling at his fingers. April and Richard seem relaxed though. April appears to be explaining the advantages of organic pesticides to Richard who appears to be impressed with her knowledge.

Rory feels a momentary sense of jealousy as she recognizes the look on Richard's face. That look has always been reserved for her but now he is sharing with April. A realization is just beginning to settle on her that her life is also changing. She will never again be the only grandchild. Richard and Emily seem poised to embrace April even if only as their step-grandchild and soon there will be the twins. Rory will no longer be their only grandchild but merely their oldest.

But now is not the time for Rory to fully examine the implications of this new insight. Today she needs to keep her focus on her mother and Luke.

Luke notices Rory standing in the doorway and jumps up. "Is she okay?" he asks with at of trepidation in his voice.

"Mom's good and she all ready. Why don't you all head into Judge Lydecker's office for the service so Mom can make a grand entrance befitting a bride."

Luke waits for April to accompany him and they both head over to the unattached former garage that has been converted into Judge Lydecker's office. Richard lags behind and motions to Rory.

"I'd like to have a private word with your mother before the service." he tells Rory.

"Sure Grandpa, Mom still in the room with Grandma."

Richard gently knocks and waits for permission to enter the room. When he hears a voice telling him to "Come in", he does. Inside the room he sees his wife and daughter standing next to each other smiling. The image does his heart good.

"Emily, I wonder if I might have a moment alone with Lorelai. I believe that Rory, Luke and April are all heading to the judges office for the service. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to walk Lorelai over."

Emily smiles proudly as she leaves the room.

Richard looks at Lorelai in a very soft and paternal manner as he starts, "Lorelai, I want to take a moment to tell you have proud I am of you. It took you a while but I think you found a good man." 

"Thanks Dad, I did. "You look very beautiful today, as beautiful as your mother looked on our wedding day. I hope that you will allow me the privilege of escorting you to your wedding and the honor of giving you to your groom."

Smiling as a single tear trickles down her cheek, Lorelai replies, "Of course, Daddy."

Richard takes out his handkerchief and gently pats the tear from her check. Then bends his elbow and waits for Lorelai to respond. When she loops her arm through his, he smiles and pats her hand affectionately as he leads her out of the room.

Emily and Rory enter the study of Judge Lydecker together. The interior of the converted garage looks very reminiscent of Richard's study. The walls are dark rich wood paneling lined with shelves of books, some for the law but others for leisurely reading. A beautiful hand craved leather top country French desk catches Emily's eye. The entire atmosphere is one of dignity and grace.

Rory notices that Luke is holding a box containing flowers. She moves over towards him and asks, "What are those?"

Cocking his head shyly with a smile, "It's a wedding. There are supposed to be flowers."

"Did you order these flowers yourself or did Mom?" Rory asks suspiciously.

"We planned this so quickly and your mom was tied up with your grandmother all day yesterday. She didn't really have any time."

"So you ordered them? Luke, you old softy."

"It wasn't a big deal. I just called the number in the phone book and told the girl what your mother likes. You know, yellow daisies but the girl said yellow daisies are not appropriate for a wedding so, well, this is what she came up with, a bouquet of white daisies and yellow roses and rosebuds. It's okay, isn't it?"

"Mom will love it."

Luke hands Rory a corsage with a single yellow rose surround by three small daisies as he says, "Here, this is for you."

"Oh my gosh thank you Luke, it's very pretty." Rory says graciously. It's then that she notices that April is wearing a corsage made up a small yellow rosebud and two white daisies and Mrs. Lydecker is wearing a corsage of three white daisies . In both Luke's and the judge's lapels is a single yellow rose as a boutonnière.

Luke walks over to Emily who is still admiring the judge's antique desk and hands her a corsage of yellow rosebuds. "This is for you, Emily as the mother of the bride."

Emily is noticeably surprised and pleased as she tells him, "But you weren't expecting me. How did you get this?"

With an arched eyebrow and a wily smile, Luke explains, "I know Lorelai pretty well. I suspected that she would realize how much she really needs you to be here."

Choking up a bit, Emily tells him,"Thank you Luke. This is lovely." She tries to pin the corsage on her jacket but fumbles it and looks to Luke for help. He graciously helps and the task is accomplished quickly.

Just then, there is a knock at the door and Richard pokes his head through the door. "Are you ready for the bride?" he asks.

Rory picks up the bouquet and the last boutonniere as she replies, "Whoa, wait just a minute." She heads out the door.

Rory hands Lorelai the bouquet saying, "This is from your future husband."

Lorelai sniffs the flowers gleefully before asking, "He got me a bouquet of daisies and yellow roses?" Her eyes well up in tears as a hitch catches her voice. "Oh no, that's so sweet. I can't believe he thought of it. He's really not a flower guy, you know"

Rory is busy helping Richard pin on his boutonniere when he realizes that Lorelai is crying. Reaching once more for his handkerchief, he carefully blots her tears telling her, "You must stop this, Lorelai. After all, you're a Gilmore. We are known for our composure during times of stress. Stand up straight and breath deeply."

Smiling, Lorelai replies meekly, "Yes Daddy."

"Okay, you ready?" Rory asks. "Then give me a minute inside to get everyone set and then you two come in."

Rory enters and sees the judge standing behind his desk with his wife to his left. Luke is standing in front of the desk with April at his right. Emily is standing on the left side of the desk looking like she might begin to cry. Rory takes her place to the right of Emily and smiles. They all turn to look as the door begins to open.

Richard leads Lorelai in and walks her towards the wedding party.

Lorelai looks radiant and Luke finds that he suddenly has a catch in his throat. He can't believe that he is really marrying the women of his dreams. April smiles as she watches her father and shyly reaches squeeze his arm.

Richard guides Lorelai to the front of the desk and stops, waiting for the judge's question. Judge Lydecker is unaccustomed to family attending his wedding services and forgets to ask the appropriate question until his wife elbows him in his side.

"Oh right. Who brings this woman to marry this man?"

Proudly Richard enunciates clearly, "Her mother and I do." Then he takes Lorelai's hand and carefully places it in Luke's before he walks over to stand next to Emily.

Judge Lydecker continues. "Luke and Lorelai have each written something that they want to share. Lorelai, you may go first."

Lorelai turns to look at Luke and begins with a trembling voice, "For years I sought to find that one person that would always be there for me. I wanted, no needed someone to know the real me and still be able to accept me with all my foibles and quirkiness. I searched for years but no one seemed to truly understand and accept me until you. No other man I met could measure up to my grumpy diner owner. You had became the standard that I used to judge them all.

You, Luke Danes, are my confidant and my friend. You are always ready to share my dreams and secrets. You comfort me and support me when times get difficult and you encourage me to achieve my goals. You share my hopes and laughter and tears. I would still be lost and looking if you hadn't entered my life.

We were friends for years before either of us dared to take our friendship further. You finally took the initiative and I followed your lead, terrified at first that I would loose you in the process. But slowly our love grew and my confidence in a future with you was built. I know now that you are my soul mate and I love you with all my heart."

Judge Lydecker responds, "Thank you Lorelai. Now Luke?"

With one deep breath, Luke begins, " When I was young and thought about my life, I always imaged it with this perfect companion at my side. As I grew older, I became less confident that I could ever find that one woman that could accept and love me. But I was content with my life.

Then one day this crazy lady comes tearing into the diner in caffeine frenzy. She followed me around begging for coffee and promised that if I gave it to her she would go away. I gave her coffee but lucky for me, she didn't keep her word. She kept coming back and she became my friend.

Years later, I found myself taking stock of my life again and I realized something. My vision of a life companion now had a face. It was your face that I saw, Lorelai. I suddenly realized that I already had that one person in my life whose phone calls or visits are never unwanted or too long. I didn't need to look for someone to ward off moments of loneliness or comfort me when I'm in pain because I had already found her. I suddenly realized that whenever anything happened in my life good or bad, it was you whom I wanted to share my news with.

I had fallen in love with my best friend and I knew that I wanted to share my life with you forever."

"Thank you Luke. It is now time to exchange your vows. Luke, I'll ask you first. Do you, Luke Danes, take Lorelai Gilmore to be your wife? Will you love, honor, and cherish her, in good times and in bad, and do you promise to stay true to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you, Lorelai Gilmore, take Luke Danes to be your husband? Will you love, honor, and cherish him, in good times and in bad, and do you promise to stay true to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

''Lorelai and Luke, may you pledge to each other to be loving friends and partners in marriage. To talk and to listen, to trust and appreciate one another; to respect and cherish each other's uniqueness, and to support, comfort, and strengthen each other through life's joys and sorrows. May you promise to share hopes, thoughts, and dreams as you build your lives together. May your lives be ever intertwined, your love keeping you together. May you build a home that is compassionate to all, full of respect and honor for others and each other. May your home be forever filled with peace, happiness, and love. Lorelai and Luke, please face each other and hold hands. Luke, as you look at Lorelai, repeat these words after me:

I Luke, take you Lorelai,"

"I Luke, take you Lorelai,"

"to be my wife,"

"to be my wife,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forth,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forth,"

"to love, honor, and cherish,"

"to love, honor, and cherish,"

"to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy,"

"to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy,"

"in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live."

"in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live."

"Thank you Luke. Lorelai, as you look at Luke, repeat these words after me:

I Lorelai, take you Luke,"

"I Lorelai, take you Luke,"

"to be my husband,"

"to be my husband,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forth,"

"to have and to hold, from this day forth,"

"to love, honor, and cherish,"

"to love, honor, and cherish,"

"to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy,"

"to comfort and respect, in sorrow or in joy,"

"in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live."

"in hardship or in plenty, so long as we both shall live."

"Thank you Lorelai. Now it is time to exchange rings. May I have the bride's ring please?"

Suddenly Luke panics. He had bought the rings yesterday while Lorelai was in New York with Emily. They had decided to get simple matching platinum bands and that's what Luke had purchased. He knew he remembered to put the rings in his inside coat pocket this morning because he had showed them to April and Rory earlier while Lorelai rested. But now he can't remember what he did with them.

Just as he was about to break away and run back to the Lydecker living to search for the rings, he felt a gentle tug at his right sleeve. He looks at April and sees her open palm with Lorelai's ring resting gentle in its center. With great relief, he picks it out of April's hand and hands it to the judge.

Judge Lydecker continues, "The ring is a symbol of unity into which your two lives are now joined in an unbroken circle; in which, wherever you go, you will return to one another." Then he hands the ring back to Luke as he says, "Please repeat this vow as you place this ring on Lorelai's finger:

I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."

Luke takes Lorelai trembling hand and gently slips the ring on her finger as he says, "I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."

"Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."

"Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."

Judge Lydecker smiles at Lorelai and Luke as he asks, "May I have the groom's ring now?"

Rory's hand immediately appears with Luke's ring in it and she hands it directly to the judge.

Again the judge recites , "The ring is a symbol of unity into which your two lives are now joined in an unbroken circle; in which, wherever you go, you will return to one another." Then he place the ring in Lorelai's shaking hand as he tells her, "Please repeat this vow as you place this ring on Luke's finger:

I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."

Luke extends his hand and Lorelai tries to slip the ring on his finger but she seems to be all thumbs. Luke takes his other hand to help her before she drops the ring and finally, together, they are able to slip the ring down his finger. The Lorelai repeats, "I offer this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion."

"Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."

"Let it always be a reminder of my vows to you."

Judge Lydecker smiles happily as he concludes, "And now, for as much as you have made your vows, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving your rings, with the authority vested in me by the state of Connecticut, I pronounce that you are husband and wife. Luke, you may kiss your bride!"

Luke and Lorelai lean towards each other as they exchange a passionate yet respectful kiss. Rory and April break out in spontaneous cheers and applause. Emily is using tissues to blot her tears of happiness as Richard attempts to disguise his emotions by coughing. For all it is a time of joy.

When Lorelai and Luke break apart, Rory and April rush to join them for a big family hug. Richard reaches out to shake Luke's hand and gives Lorelai a hug. Emily then hugs Lorelai as she whispers, "Congratulations Lorelai, you finally are a married woman."

The drive home from Woodbridge was lively to say the least. Rory had started the mayhem by insisting on singing **_The Chapel of Love_** (by the Dixie Cups) and, of course, Lorelai joined in along with April (who didn't really know the words). By the time Luke pulled the car into the driveway, the girls had segued into **_We Are Family_** by Sister Sledge.

Things had been chaotic following the ceremony. First there was the paper work to complete. Lorelai signed the marriage certificate with her new name for the first time, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore-Danes . Luke had mumbled that she didn't need to change her name if she didn't want to but his smile told her that he was really pleased.

There had been some confusion who would sign the certificate as the witnesses. Lorelai had expected Rory to sign of course but now she also wanted her mother and father to sign. In the end, all of them signed including April, though her signature had no validity since she is underage.

After concluding the paper work, Luke had tried to pay the judge's fee but Richard, as father of the bride, insisted on shouldering the cost. There was a momentary but polite testosterone skirmish between Richard and Luke but finally Luke conceded to his new father-in-law.

Lorelai had remembered to bring her camera but she forgot about it until after the ceremony. When she finally remembered, multiple combinations and configurations of the wedding participants were taken and Rory insisted that Lorelai re-enact her dressing for the camera. It was a giddy time for everyone.

Luke and Lorelai had invited Emily and Richard to come back to Stars Hollow for a little celebration but they had declined. Emily pointed out that since they had not been given any forewarning of this wedding, she and Richard had already been forced to rearrange their plans just to attend. They could not possibly abdicate anymore of their responsibilities.

Lorelai wasn't completely surprised by their response but something in Emily's eyes made her wonder if her mother's excuse was entirely true. Then she caught an exchange of looks between Rory and Emily which set off a warning alarm in her spider senses. Given the circumstances, Lorelai chose to ignore her intuition and the two separate groups said their goodbye as they each drove away in their respective cars.

Upon entering the house, they are greeted enthusiastically by Paul Anka who is especially attentive to April. He and April have really bonded and April offers to take him for a walk. Lorelai and Luke both collapse on the sofa suffering from exhaustion and Rory heads into her room to change her clothes.

"I don't feel any different." Lorelai confesses. "Do you feel different? Shouldn't we feel different now that we're married?"

Luke shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head as he answers, "No, I don't really feel different."

"Well, did you feel different after your married Nicole?"

"Yeah, I felt stupid."

"Do you feel stupid now?"

Luke moves his arm around Lorelai and pulls her close. "No and could you please not mention Nicole anymore? You're the only wife that I want to think about ever again."

Resting her head on his shoulder, Lorelai agrees, "Good answer." They both feel relaxed and comfortable for the first time in several days. Luke leans his head against hers and they both are starting to drift off to sleep when Lorelai's stomach growls loudly.

"Hungry?" Luke asks amused.

"I'm not but your children are."

"Oh, they are my children when their hungry, are they? We are completely ignoring the fact that they seem to have inherited your appetite, right? So what do _my_ children want to eat?"

"Hum, not sure."

"Well, I can go to the diner and make you anything on the menu or we can order pizza or Chinese. Or I could make you some beef stroganoff, if you want that."

"Beef stroganoff sounds good."

As Luke gets up he says, "Okay" and heads towards the kitchen. Stopping at Rory's door, he knocks. Rory, now dressed in her jeans, steps out into the kitchen. "Hey, I'm fixing lunch. What would you like?" he asks her.

Lorelai ambles into the kitchen as Luke is asking Rory. Seeing her mother, Rory says, "Wow, you two really know how to celebrate. Eating lunch at home with the kids, do you think that might be too wild?"

"Hey, we have just turned into an old married couple, what did you expect?" concede Lorelai.

April returned from walking Paul Anka and saw the preparations for lunch underway. "Luke, what are you doing?" she asks.

"I'm making lunch, why?"

"Because you can't. We have to go get Ashley."

"Ashley?"

"Yeah, my friend, Ashley, who you agreed could come with me today, remember? We didn't pick her up this morning because of the 'surprise' but I told her that we'd pick her up around noon. It's 11:54 now. We've got to go."

"Ah jeez, I'm sorry April. I forgot. Okay, here's the new plan, give Ashley a call and tell her that we'll be a little late..."

Rory interrupts, "No need, I'll pick up Ashley."

Luke looks at Rory with a sense of relief. "You can? That would be great. I'll fix lunch and have it ready for you when you get back."

Rory turns to April and winks as she tells her, "April, why don't you get into my car with Paul Anka and I'll take you to get Ashley."

Understanding, April smiles and takes Paul Anka out.

Rory picks up her car keys and starts to leave. She stops just shy of the doorway and turns back smiling. "I'll pick up Ashley and then take April home so she can change her clothes. Then I'll take both of the girls to the Dragonfly. I don't think April has ever seen it and I'm sure both girls will love looking around. We can all have lunch there. I'm sure Sookie will make anything they want. After that, we might go on a little sightseeing tour of Stars Hallow. All in all, I figure this will take at least three hours. Yeah, I can guarantee that we won't be back before 3:00. To bad you will be all alone in this house with just each other for the next three hours." Raising her eyebrows in a teasing expression, she adds, "Hopefully you can find something to do."

With twinkle in her eye and a jaunt in her step, Rory opens the door and steps through, stopping just outside as she turns to tell them, "Oh, by the way, don't make any plans for this evening." Giggling, Rory shuts the door quickly and rushes to her car.

(tbc)


End file.
